The Western Ghats, extending over 1,600 km across six Indian states, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots. It plays a critical role in regulating the monsoon, sustaining river systems, and supporting the livelihoods of nearly 245 million people.
Persisting tensions:
High Ecological Sensitivity:
- High endemism, fragile slopes, and role as a climatic regulator make the region extremely vulnerable.
- Unregulated mining, quarrying, deforestation, and infrastructure increase risks of landslides, floods, and biodiversity loss.
Developmental Pressures:
- Western Ghats states depend on the region for hydropower, plantations, tourism, minerals, transport corridors, and urban expansion.
- Conservation measures are often perceived as threats to livelihoods, revenue, and energy security.
Gadgil Committee (WGEEP, 2011): Ecology-Centric Vision:
- Recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
- Proposed zoning into ESZ 1, 2, and 3, with strict bans on mining, large dams, thermal plants, and polluting industries in ESZ-1.
- Emphasised a bottom-up, decentralised governance model, empowering Gram Sabhas and local bodies.
Kasturirangan Committee: Development–Environment Balance:
- Diluted the approach by limiting ESA to 37% of the Western Ghats, primarily forested areas.
- Introduced the concept of “natural” vs “cultural” landscapes, allowing regulated development in human-settled regions.
- Adopted a red–orange–green categorisation of activities, banning only the most polluting ones.
Concerns raised:
1. Dilution during Implementation: ESA boundaries were progressively reduced by states, weakening conservation intent.
2. Disaster Vulnerability: Ignoring ecological limits has aggravated floods and landslides, as seen during the Kerala floods.
3. Livelihood Anxiety: Farmers, miners, and plantation workers fear loss of income due to regulatory uncertainty.
4. Governance Deficit: Weak coordination between Centre, states, and local bodies; limited decentralised decision-making.
5. Data Gaps: Over-reliance on satellite mapping without adequate field validation leads to exclusion/inclusion errors.
Way Forward:
1. Graded and Context-Specific Regulation: Combine Gadgil’s ecological sensitivity with Kasturirangan’s zoning pragmatism.
2. Strengthen Decentralised Governance: Empower Gram Sabhas and local institutions in land-use and conservation decisions.
3. Cumulative Impact Assessments: Mandatory basin-level and regional assessments for dams, roads, and mining projects.
4. Livelihood-Sensitive Conservation: Promote eco-tourism, agroforestry, and green livelihoods to align conservation with welfare.
5. Climate-Resilient Planning: Integrate disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation into Western Ghats governance.
Conclusion:
The essence of safeguarding western ghats lie in harmonising environmental integrity with inclusive development, ensuring that economic growth does not undermine the ecological foundations on which it ultimately depends.
‘+1’ value-addition:
- Kerala Floods, 2018 witnessed over 400 deaths and ₹30,000 crore losses linked to quarrying and slope destabilisation.
- Western Ghats host 38% endemic flowering plants and 65% endemic amphibians.
- Nearly 40% natural forests converted to plantations since the 1950s, weakening carbon sinks.
- Rivers originating in the Ghats support 245 million people, showing conservation is critical for developmental sustainability.
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