Dr. K. Kasturirangan opposes own Western Ghats report, seeks ground survey

Renowned scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan has expressed reservations regarding the strict implementation of the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notification based on his own namesake 2013 report. He advocated for conducting comprehensive ground-level physical surveys rather than relying solely on remote sensing and satellite imagery. This sudden development reopens the longstanding national debate over balancing environmental conservation with developmental livelihoods across six Western Ghats states.

In 2013, the Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group recommended declaring approximately 37 percent (around 56,825 square kilometers) of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. This committee was constituted to review the earlier 2011 Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report, which had recommended designating almost 75 percent of the region as ecologically sensitive with stringent land-use restrictions.

The core point of contention revolves around satellite-based boundary demarcation, which local communities and state governments argue misclassified inhabited agricultural villages as natural eco-sensitive zones. The Western Ghats spans across six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Keralam, and Tamil Nadu. The draft ESA notification imposes strict bans on mining, quarrying, red-category industries, thermal power projects, and major township developments within designated zones.

Re-evaluating ESA boundaries through ground truth verification could pave the way for a consensus between environmental activists and local agrarian populations. In competitive exams, this news is highly relevant for Environment and Governance topics. Aspirants should prepare comparison tables between Gadgil Committee and Kasturirangan Committee recommendations for Prelims MCQs, as well as Mains questions regarding sustainable development in eco-sensitive zones.