The Center has extended the date for issuing final notification on earmarking Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in Western Ghats by two more months, awaiting reports from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Final notification for the ESA had to be issued within a period of 545 days of the last draft notification issued during the UPA government in March last year.
After expiry of the deadline, the government has now issued fresh ‘draft’notification, reiterating all the points of the 2014 draft that made it clear that any ‘final’notification in future will not at all affect agriculture and plantation activities of the villagers fall within the ecosensitive area.
About Gadgil Committee & Kasturirangan Committee/What is Eco Sensitive Area?
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Commission was an environmental research commission appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. The commission submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011. The commission recommends constitution (Parliament bill) of a Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the powers under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Also recommended that 64% of the Western Ghats should be brought under the
Ecologically Sensitive Area. The Gagdil Committee report was criticised for being more environmentfriendly and not in tune with the ground realities. Many people of Western Ghats protested against this report.
So Kasturirangan Committee was formed. The Kasturirangan report recommended to bring just 37% of the Western Ghats under the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones. Also recommended prohibition on development activities in 60,000 km ecologically sensitive area spread over Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
In 2014 Central government informed the National Green Tribunal of its intention to implement the report of the K.Kasturirangan committee. So demarcation of ESA was don.
Final notification for the ESA had to be issued within a period of 545 days of the last draft notification issued during the UPA government in March last year.
After expiry of the deadline, the government has now issued fresh ‘draft’notification, reiterating all the points of the 2014 draft that made it clear that any ‘final’notification in future will not at all affect agriculture and plantation activities of the villagers fall within the ecosensitive area.
About Gadgil Committee & Kasturirangan Committee/What is Eco Sensitive Area?
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Commission was an environmental research commission appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. The commission submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011. The commission recommends constitution (Parliament bill) of a Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the powers under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Also recommended that 64% of the Western Ghats should be brought under the
Ecologically Sensitive Area. The Gagdil Committee report was criticised for being more environmentfriendly and not in tune with the ground realities. Many people of Western Ghats protested against this report.
So Kasturirangan Committee was formed. The Kasturirangan report recommended to bring just 37% of the Western Ghats under the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones. Also recommended prohibition on development activities in 60,000 km ecologically sensitive area spread over Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
In 2014 Central government informed the National Green Tribunal of its intention to implement the report of the K.Kasturirangan committee. So demarcation of ESA was don.
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