Context:
The Central Government is preparing to notify Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in parts of the Western Ghats across at least three states after years of consultations and disputes. The proposed notification is based largely on the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee for conserving ecologically fragile regions.
Explanation:
- The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s eight hottest biodiversity hotspots, stretching across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the government can declare Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) around ecologically important regions to regulate activities harmful to the environment.
- ESAs act as a buffer zone, permitting sustainable development while restricting environmentally damaging activities.
- Activities such as mining, quarrying, thermal power plants and highly polluting industries are generally prohibited in notified ESAs.
- The Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel of 2011) recommended extensive ecological protection across much of the Western Ghats.
- The Kasturirangan Committee (2013) proposed a more balanced approach, identifying about 37% of the Western Ghats as ESA using remote sensing and village-level ecological assessment.
- The Western Ghats are the origin of major peninsular rivers such as the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri and Periyar, making their conservation crucial for water security.
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Western Ghats ESA and the Balance Between Ecology and Development