New Delhi: The Central government has issued a fresh draft notification proposing to declare 56,825.7 square kilometres of the ecologically rich Western Ghats as an Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA), marking the seventh attempt to finalise conservation measures for one of the world’s most significant biodiversity hotspots. The notification was released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) after the previous draft expired without a consensus between the Centre and the six concerned states.
According to the draft, the proposed eco-sensitive region spans 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. While Gujarat and Goa have largely agreed to the proposed boundaries, Maharashtra’s revised proposal is still under examination. Karnataka continues to oppose the notification, while discussions remain underway with Kerala and Tamil Nadu to resolve technical and mapping-related issues.
To facilitate consultations, the Centre has extended the tenure of an expert committee headed by former Director General of Forests Sanjay Kumar until July 2027. Constituted in April 2022, the panel is tasked with examining the concerns raised by the six state governments while balancing environmental conservation with the developmental needs and rights of local communities.
The latest draft retains the restrictions proposed in earlier versions. It calls for a complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining within notified eco-sensitive areas and mandates the closure of existing mines within five years of the final notification or upon expiry of their leases, whichever comes first.
The notification also proposes prohibiting the establishment of new thermal power plants and the expansion of existing ones in the designated ESA. Additionally, it seeks to ban new or expanding ‘red category’ industries, which are classified as the most polluting industrial units.
Urban development activities are also likely to face tighter regulations. The draft proposes banning new building and construction projects with a built-up area of 20,000 square metres or more, along with new township projects covering 50 hectares or more within the eco-sensitive zones.
The Centre has indicated that the final notification may be issued either state-wise in phases or as a single consolidated notification, depending on the progress of consultations with individual states.
The process of notifying eco-sensitive areas in the Western Ghats dates back to 2014, when the Centre first issued a draft based on the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan-led High-Level Working Group, which had reviewed the earlier report of the Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. Despite multiple revisions over the past decade, differences between the Centre and state governments have continued to delay the implementation of the proposed conservation framework.
