Background and Context

The proposal to notify the Western Ghats as an Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) has remained pending since August 2011. The 7th draft notification has been issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) after the previous draft lapsed without being finalized.

Key Highlights of the 7th Draft Notification

Geographical Spread:

  • Proposed ESA encompasses 56,825.7 sq. km across six states
  • Karnataka has the highest coverage at 20,668 sq. km
  • Gujarat has the lowest at 449 sq. km
  • Other states: Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa

Prohibited Activities:

  • Complete ban on commercial mining
  • Stone quarrying and sand mining
  • Establishment of new thermal power plants
  • Highly polluting "red category" industries
  • Large-scale construction projects

Regulated and Exempted Activities:

  • Hydel power generation projects will be strictly regulated
  • Agriculture, plantation activities, and day-to-day livelihood of local communities will remain unaffected
  • Phased implementation proposed on state-wise or combined basis

Extended Committee Tenure:

  • Expert committee headed by Sanjay Kumar has been granted tenure extension until July 2027

Evolution of Western Ghats ESA Proposals

Gadgil Committee Report (2011)

  • Headed by Madhav Gadgil
  • Recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats as an Eco-Sensitive Area
  • Classified into three zones: ESZ-I, ESZ-II, and ESZ-III
  • Faced strong opposition for being overly restrictive on development

Kasturirangan Committee Report (2013)

  • Proposed a more balanced approach
  • Recommended protecting only 37% of the Western Ghats (approximately 60,000 sq. km)
  • Allowed sustainable development in remaining regions

Western Ghats: Key Facts

Geographical Profile

  • Stretches for approximately 1,490 km from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu
  • Covers an area of 140,000 sq. km across latitudes 7° N to 21° N
  • Geologically older than the Himalayas
  • Formed from the faulted edge of the Deccan Plateau following Gondwana supercontinent break-up

Structural Divisions

  • Northern Western Ghats: Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra, characterized by basaltic (Deccan Trap) lava plateaus
  • Central Western Ghats: Known as Kanara Ghats, extending across Karnataka with high rainfall and dense evergreen forests
  • Southern Western Ghats: Spreads across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, containing Anamudi (2,695 m) – the highest peak outside the Himalayas

UNESCO World Heritage Status

  • Designated as a natural World Heritage Site in 2012
  • Includes 39 component parts grouped into seven sub-clusters
  • Sub-clusters: Sahyadri, Kudremukh, Talacauvery, Nilgiri, Anamalai, Periyar, and Agasthyamalai

River Systems

  • Forms the major watershed of Peninsular India
  • West-flowing rivers: Periyar, Netravati, Sharavathi, Mandovi – short, swift, drain into Arabian Sea
  • East-flowing rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri – longer, slower, drain into Bay of Bengal

Ecological and Economic Significance

Biodiversity Hotspot

  • One of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity
  • Orographic barrier intercepting moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds
  • Contains non-equatorial tropical wet evergreen rainforests
  • Functions as the "water tower of Peninsular India"

Endemism Statistics

  • Over 5,000 species of flowering plants
  • Approximately 65% of amphibians are endemic
  • 53% of freshwater fishes are endemic
  • Home to at least 325 globally threatened species
  • Flagship species: Asian Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur

Economic Contributions

  • Sequesters nearly 4 million tonnes of carbon annually
  • Contributes about 10% of India's forest-based carbon sequestration
  • Rich in iron ore, manganese, and bauxite
  • Supports industries: paper, plywood, poly-fibres, matchwood
  • Provides NTFP and livelihoods to indigenous communities

Challenges in ESA Implementation

Centre-State Deadlock

  • Differences between Centre and States over balancing ecological conservation with developmental priorities

Boundary Demarcation Issues

  • Disputes over ESA mapping, village boundaries, and satellite-based demarcation

Lack of Incentives for Conservation

  • States bear economic costs without adequate financial compensation or ecological fiscal transfers

Regulatory Uncertainty

  • Repeated draft notifications without finalisation have created a policy vacuum
  • Allows illegal mining, quarrying, deforestation, and unsustainable development

Legal Framework

Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA): A buffer zone around protected areas notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 where environmentally harmful activities are prohibited or regulated.

Conservation Status: The IUCN's World Heritage Outlook has classified the Western Ghats as being of "significant concern" despite its protected status.