Why in News?
Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil (1942–2026) passed away, reviving debates on people-driven conservation, Western Ghats protection, and participatory environmental governance.
Description:
Who was Madhav Gadgil?
- Eminent Indian ecologist and environmental thinker
- Known as the “people’s ecologist”
- Pioneer of participatory conservation and decentralised environmental governance
- Strong advocate of integrating human livelihoods with ecological protection
Academic & Institutional Contributions:
- Founder of Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), IISc Bengaluru (1982)
- Former Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
- Major works – Ecology and Equity: The Use and Abuse of Nature in Contemporary India (1995)
Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP):
About WGEEP:
- Constituted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests (2010)
- Chaired by Madhav Gadgil
- Report submitted in 2011
Key Recommenations:
- Declared entire Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
- Classified Ghats into ESZ 1, ESZ 2, ESZ 3 based on sensitivity
- ESZ-1 (most sensitive): Ban on mining, thermal power plants, large dams
- Emphasised bottom-up governance via Gram Sabhas & Local bodies
- Advocated people-centric, participatory conservation
Contributions Beyond Western Ghats:
- Madhav Gadgil’s work laid the foundation for ecological research and conservation in the Nilgiris and Western Ghats.
- He pioneered landscape-level, people-centric conservation, especially for protecting the Asian elephant habitat.
- Authored the concept for the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, India’s first UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve site.
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