New Delhi – On July 27, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued its seventh draft notification to designate 56,825 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). This move comes thirteen years after the first proposal was tabled, marking one of the longest-running administrative stalemates in India’s environmental history.
The Western Ghats, a majestic mountain range spanning 1,500 kilometres from the Tapti river in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, is more than just a geographic feature; it is a global biodiversity "hotspot" and the primary water source for Peninsular India. However, the latest notification has once again ignited a fierce tug-of-war between conservationists, who argue the region is on the brink of collapse, and state governments, who fear that strict environmental regulations will stifle economic growth and displace local communities.
Main Facts: The Scope of the Seventh Draft
The seventh draft notification largely mirrors its predecessors, seeking to protect a vast corridor across six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The proposed 56,825 sq km ESA represents approximately 37% of the total area of the Western Ghats.
Prohibited and Regulated Activities
The notification aims to impose a blanket ban on high-impact industrial activities that threaten the geological and biological integrity of the range. Under the current draft, the following are strictly prohibited:
- Mining and Quarrying: All new mining leases and renewals of existing leases would be banned.
- Thermal Power Plants: No new coal-based or thermal power projects would be permitted.
- Red Category Industries: Highly polluting industries, as defined by the Central Pollution Control Board, are barred from the ESA.
- Large-Scale Construction: Built-up areas for individual projects are restricted to 20,000 square metres, while new townships and area development projects are limited to 50 hectares.
Permitted Activities with Caveats
Despite the restrictions, the draft allows for certain developments. Hydropower projects are permitted, provided they undergo rigorous cumulative environmental impact assessments and maintain at least 30% of the river’s flow during the lean season. Existing residential buildings and essential infrastructure can be repaired or renovated without new restrictions, a clause intended to soothe the fears of local villagers.
Chronology: A History of Indecision (2011–2024)
The journey to protect the Western Ghats has been defined by expert reports that were either deemed too radical or too compromised.
2011: The Gadgil Report (The "Gold Standard")
The debate began with the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), led by renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil. The Gadgil report was revolutionary, recommending that the entire 1.29 lakh sq km of the Western Ghats be declared an ESA. It proposed a "bottom-up" approach where local Gram Panchayats would have the final say in land-use decisions. State governments across the board rejected the report, labeling it "anti-development."
2012–2013: The Kasturirangan Compromise
To find a middle ground, the government appointed a High-Level Working Group led by rocket scientist K. Kasturirangan. This committee significantly scaled back the ESA to 37% of the region, focusing only on "natural landscapes" and excluding "cultural landscapes" (human settlements and plantations). Even this watered-down version faced intense opposition.
2014–2022: The Cycle of Lapsing Drafts
Between 2014 and 2022, the MoEFCC issued five successive draft notifications. Each time, the drafts lapsed because the states failed to reach a consensus on the boundaries of the ESA. In 2022, the Sanjay Kumar Committee was formed to re-examine state-specific grievances and seek a final resolution.
2024: The Wayanad Wake-Up Call
The urgency of the seventh draft is underscored by the catastrophic landslide in Wayanad, Kerala, in July 2024. Triggered by unprecedented rainfall, the disaster claimed hundreds of lives. Scientists pointed to the fragmentation of the Ghats and the loss of forest cover as primary factors that exacerbated the slope’s instability. The seventh draft was re-notified just one day after the Wayanad tragedy.
Supporting Data: The Ecological Toll of Inaction
The delay in notifying the ESA has had measurable consequences on the ground. Research by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) provides a sobering look at the region’s degradation.
Loss of Forest Cover
Dr. T.V. Ramachandra, a former scientist at IISc who has extensively studied the region, notes that the evergreen forest cover in the Western Ghats plummeted from 16% in 1985 to just 11% in 2018. During the same period, built-up areas increased by 4.5%, and agricultural land expanded by 9%, often at the expense of fragile "shola" grasslands and montane forests.
Water Security and Yield
The Western Ghats serve as the catchment area for major rivers including the Godavari, Kaveri, and Krishna. Dr. Ramachandra’s studies have shown that villages located near intact natural forests enjoy nearly double the agricultural yield of those in deforested areas, thanks to more consistent groundwater levels. "When natural vegetation is preserved, rivers remain perennial. With rising water scarcity across South India, preserving the Ghats is no longer just an environmental issue; it is an economic necessity," he warns.
Biodiversity at Risk
Hosting over 7,000 species of flora and fauna, many of which—like the lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri tahr—are found nowhere else on Earth, the Western Ghats are a genetic treasure trove. Habitat fragmentation disrupts wildlife corridors, leading to a spike in human-animal conflict and a reduction in the genetic diversity required for species to survive climate change.
Official Responses: A House Divided
The reaction to the seventh draft highlights a deep divide between the central government and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa.
Kerala: The Human Settlement Hurdle
In Kerala, political leaders across the spectrum have voiced opposition. MP Francis George of the Kerala Congress stated that the notification fails to exclude "human habitations, plantations, and agricultural lands." There is a pervasive fear among the state’s agrarian community that the ESA will turn their farms into "no-man’s zones," devaluing their property and preventing them from building homes for their children.
Goa: Real Estate and Mining Interests
In Goa, the ESA covers 108 villages. Tahir Noronha, an architect and urban planner, notes that the ESA could override state-level land conversion laws. "There is significant misinformation being spread," Noronha says. "While some fear for their homes, the real opposition comes from those with vested interests in large-scale real estate and mining projects in areas like Sattari taluka, which is rich in iron ore."
Karnataka: Economic Sovereignty
The Karnataka government has historically been the most vocal opponent, with successive administrations arguing that the ESA would paralyze the state’s infrastructure and power projects. The state remains "unhappy" with the current draft, citing the need for "developmental aspirations" to be prioritized alongside conservation.
The Ministry’s Stance
A senior official involved in the ESA process, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that while Kerala and Karnataka remain resistant, there has been "broad acceptance" in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The tenure of the Sanjay Kumar expert committee has been extended to 2027 to facilitate further negotiations.
Implications: The High Cost of the Status Quo
The continued delay in finalizing the ESA has profound implications for India’s climate resilience and socio-economic future.
1. Increased Disaster Vulnerability
As climate change leads to more frequent and intense rainfall events, the Western Ghats act as a buffer. Without the ESA’s restrictions on quarrying and slope-cutting, the risk of landslides—similar to those in Wayanad and Kodagu—will only increase. The cost of disaster relief and rehabilitation far outweighs the potential revenue from the industries being restricted.
2. The "Piecemeal" Destruction
Planners warn that even if an ESA is eventually notified, the delay has allowed for "piecemeal" development. Small-scale land conversions, which often fly under the radar of environmental clearances, are slowly fragmenting the landscape. By the time the ESA is finalized, many of the "natural landscapes" it seeks to protect may have already been lost to concrete.
3. Public Health and Zoonotic Diseases
Ecologists point out that the destruction of the Ghats increases the proximity between humans and wildlife, raising the risk of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Preserving the "biological shield" of the Ghats is a critical component of public health strategy in the post-pandemic era.
4. The Hydropower Paradox
The draft’s decision to permit hydropower projects remains a point of contention. While billed as "green energy," large dams in the ESA can lead to massive forest submergence and disrupt the very river systems the notification aims to protect. Conservationists argue that the Western Ghats have already reached a "saturation point" for such projects.
Conclusion
The seventh draft notification for the Western Ghats ESA is a testament to the difficulty of balancing ecological preservation with the immediate economic demands of a developing nation. However, as the scars on the hillsides of Wayanad show, the environment does not wait for political consensus.
The extension of the expert committee’s term to 2027 provides a window for genuine consultation, but it also risks another three years of unregulated exploitation. For the 7,000 species that call the Ghats home, and the millions of people downstream who depend on its waters, the finalization of the ESA is not just a matter of policy—it is a matter of survival.
