Govt issues 5th draft notification to declare over 56k sq km of Western Ghats eco sensitive

NEW DELHI: The Centre has issued a fifth draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days.

The notification was issued on July 31, a day after a series of landslides claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad district.

The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, ecologically sensitive.

Overall, the notification includes 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala in the proposed ESA.

The draft notification suggests a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, with existing mines to be phased out within five years "from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease, whichever is earlier".

It also prohibits new thermal power projects. It says the existing projects can continue to operate but there will be no expansion allowed.

Large-scale construction projects and townships are also proposed to be prohibited, with exceptions for repair and renovation of existing buildings.

"All new and expansion projects of building and construction with built-up areas of 20,000 square metres and above, and all new and expansion townships and area development projects with an area of 50 hectares and above or with built-up areas of 1,50,000 square metres and above, shall be prohibited.

"There shall be no restriction on the repair, extension, or renovation of existing residential houses in the Eco-sensitive Area as per prevailing laws and regulations," the notification reads.

All existing healthcare establishments in the ESA can continue to operate, and proposed primary health centres can be established as per laws and regulations. There is no restriction proposed on changing property ownership.

In 2010, the Centre formed the "Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel" under ecologist Madhav Gadgil to study the impact of population pressure, climate change, and development activities on the Western Ghats.

The panel recommended in 2011 that the entire hill range be declared an ESA and divided into three Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs) based on their eco sensitivity.

It recommended a ban on mining, quarrying, new thermal power plants, hydropower projects, and large-scale wind energy projects in ESZ 1.

However, these recommendations faced resistance from state governments, industries, and local communities.

In 2013, the Centre formed a High-Level Working Group under rocket scientist K Kasturirangan to study and recommend measures for the Western Ghats' ecological protection and sustainable development.

This group identified 37 percent of the Western Ghats, covering 59,940 square kilometers, as ecologically sensitive.

Since then, the High-Level Working Group has issued five draft notifications, the latest being the one released on Friday.