Government re-issues draft notification declaring over 56 K sq km of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive area

The Western Ghats, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the eight 'hottest hotspots' of biological diversity globally, requires stringent conservation measures. The designation of Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 acts as a critical buffer zone. This draft notification proposes a complete ban on destructive activities like mining, quarrying, sand mining, new thermal power plants, and highly polluting 'red' category industries within these zones. Furthermore, it seeks to restrict large-scale building, construction, and township projects. From a UPSC perspective, understanding the rationale behind ESAs is crucial; they are not meant to entirely halt human activity but to regulate it to ensure sustainable development, acting as 'shock absorbers' for protected areas. Candidates must be familiar with the genesis of this initiative, starting from the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) led by Madhav Gadgil (which recommended declaring the entire Ghats as an ESA with varying degrees of protection), followed by the High-Level Working Group (HLWG) led by K Kasturirangan (which reduced the proposed ESA area to balance development and conservation).

This issue is a classic example of the complexities of cooperative federalism in India's environmental governance. Environment protection is part of the Concurrent List (Seventh Schedule), meaning both Centre and states can legislate, but central laws prevail in case of conflict. However, the successful implementation of ESAs requires the active participation and agreement of state governments, as land and its management are primarily state subjects. The delay in finalizing the notification—spanning seven iterations since 2014—is primarily due to resistance from states like Karnataka, which argue that blanket bans will hinder economic development and impact local livelihoods. The Centre's decision to allow a phased, state-wise finalization of the notification is a pragmatic approach to bypass complete deadlock, illustrating the necessary negotiations inherent in India's federal structure. UPSC Mains questions often explore these Centre-State frictions over environmental policies, requiring candidates to balance ecological necessity with states' developmental autonomy.

A detailed geographical understanding of the Western Ghats is essential for both Prelims and Mains. The mountain range traverses six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The draft notification specifies the varying extent of proposed ESAs in each state, with Karnataka having the largest proposed area, followed closely by Maharashtra. This vast and diverse topography influences the monsoon patterns of the entire Indian subcontinent, acting as a crucial barrier that forces moisture-laden winds to rise and precipitate. They are also the source of major peninsular rivers like the Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri. The region is highly disaster-prone, increasingly susceptible to landslides and floods, often exacerbated by unregulated developmental activities and changing climate patterns. Candidates should map these six states, understand the ecological significance of the Ghats as a geographical feature, and correlate the proposed ESA demarcations with the specific environmental vulnerabilities (like the recent landslides in Kerala) of the respective regions.