Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA): Expert Panel Gets One-Year Extension
Context
- The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has extended the tenure of the expert committee till July 2027 to examine objections raised by states regarding the proposed Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) notification in the Western Ghats.
- The committee, constituted in 2022 under the chairmanship of former Director General of Forests Sanjay Kumar, continues to deliberate as consensus on ESA boundaries remains elusive.
- Meanwhile, the July 2024 draft notification (sixth draft) has lapsed without final implementation.
Key Highlights
- The 2024 draft notification proposed declaring 56,825.7 sq. km across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala as Eco-Sensitive Areas.
- Progress in consultations has been relatively better in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat, whereas Kerala has initiated fresh discussions under its new government.
- Stretching for nearly 1,500 km from Gujarat to Kerala, the Western Ghats is one of the world’s eight hottest biodiversity hotspots, supporting around 2,000 plant species with a high degree of endemism.
- It remains uncertain whether the Centre will issue a seventh draft notification to replace the lapsed proposal.
Key Concepts
Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA)
- Ecologically fragile regions notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, where activities such as mining, large-scale construction and polluting industries are either prohibited or strictly regulated to safeguard biodiversity.
Gadgil Committee (2011)
- Recommended declaring nearly 64% of the Western Ghats as an Eco-Sensitive Area with stringent conservation measures.
- Several states considered its recommendations too restrictive for development and local livelihoods.
Kasturirangan Committee (2013)
- Proposed bringing around 37% (about 60,000 sq. km) of the Western Ghats under ESA protection.
- Distinguished natural landscapes from cultural landscapes, forming the basis for subsequent ESA draft notifications.
Biodiversity Hotspot
- A region characterised by exceptionally high levels of endemic species while also facing severe habitat loss.
- India has four recognised biodiversity hotspots: Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Himalaya, Indo-Burma and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands).
Endemism
- Refers to species that are naturally found only in a specific geographical region and nowhere else in the world.
Way Forward
- Build consensus between the Centre and the concerned states by balancing ecological conservation with the livelihood needs of local communities.
- Finalise a scientifically credible and widely acceptable ESA notification to ensure long-term conservation of the Western Ghats.
- Strengthen sustainable land-use planning and disaster-risk reduction, particularly in view of increasing landslides, habitat degradation and climate-related vulnerabilities in the region.
- Promote participatory conservation by involving local communities in environmental governance while ensuring sustainable development.