Western Ghats Draft Notification Triggers Protests Over ESA Tag

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued its seventh draft notification to demarcate Ecologically Sensitive Areas across the Western Ghats region. The draft has sparked fresh local resistance in Kerala high-range districts like Kottayam and Idukki, affecting nearly 70,000 residents.

The Western Ghats, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and biodiversity hotspot, require legal protection against unregulated urbanization, mining, and industrialization. The exercise originated from reports submitted by the Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and the subsequent K. Kasturirangan Working Group.

The notification covers over 56,825 square kilometers across six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Key restricted activities include complete bans on mining, quarrying, thermal power plants, and red-category heavily polluting industries within designated ESA villages.

This development is highly critical for UPSC GS-III Environment syllabus. Aspirants should expect questions on the comparative analysis of Gadgil vs Kasturirangan committee recommendations, statutory protections under the Environment Protection Act 1986, and balancing conservation with livelihood rights in sensitive eco-zones.