Mains Answer Writing - 10 Jan, 2026

GS3

Environment & Ecology

15 marks

“The debate over conservation of the Western Ghats reflects the tension between ecological sustainability and developmental priorities.”
In this context, critically examine the recommendations of the Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP) and the Kasturirangan Committee, highlighting their implications for environmental governance in India.

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Tips for your answer

Structure the answer as a comparison, not a description
Briefly outline the philosophical difference between the two panels—WGEEP’s precautionary, bottom-up, ecocentric approach versus Kasturirangan Committee’s pragmatic, development-accommodative, technocratic approach—and use this contrast throughout the answer.
Link recommendations to governance outcomes
Go beyond listing restrictions. Explicitly discuss how WGEEP strengthens decentralized environmental governance (ESA zoning, local participation, proposed WGEA), while the Kasturirangan model reflects centralized, dilution-prone regulation, highlighting implications for federalism, compliance, and implementation.
Conclude with a balanced way forward
Avoid taking sides. Conclude by suggesting a hybrid governance model—scientific zoning + local consent + livelihood safeguards—showing how ecological sustainability and development can be reconciled in India’s environmental policymaking.

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