Union Government informed NGT to not to implement Madhav Gadgil Report on Western Ghats

Union Government has informed National Green Tribunal (NGT), not to implement Madhav Gadgil Report on Western Ghats.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) informed the NGT that they arer relying upon a high-level working group (HLWG) report headed by Prof K Kasturirangan for taking all future calls on demarcating eco-sensitive areas.

The Western Ghats is ecologically sensitive area, spread across the six states of Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in October 2013, the UPA government had issued a notification giving in-principle approval to implement Kasturirangan Committee report, but refrained from execution, fearing possible political repercussions, and left the final decision on the next government.

Madhav Gadgil Report on Western Ghats

In 2011 Gadgil Committee had submitted its report to the Union Ministry of Ministry of Environment and Forest.

The committee had designated the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive area and had recommended notification of nearly 3/4th of Western Ghats into ecologically sensitive zone, restricting all development activities.

However, under severe opposition from states where Western Ghats lies, the UPA government constituted K Kasturirangan Committee.

Kasturirangan Panel Report

This panel in 2013 recommended that only 37 per cent of area should be declared as ecologically sensitive, while simultaneously prescribing for prohibiting certain commercial activities like mining and thermal power generation.

Highlights of this panel report:

The 10-member high-level working group (HLWG), headed by Kasturirangan, was constituted in August 2012.

It was constituted to examine the Western Ghats ecology expert panel report (WGEEP) prepared under the leadership of eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil. 

The Kasturirangan panel had submitted its report to the MoEF on 15 April 2013 . 

1. Kasturirangan Panel has recommended a ban on development activities in 60000 sq km ecologically sensitive area spread over six states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 
2. According to the report, roughly 37 percent of the total area defined as the boundary of the Western Ghats is ecologically sensitive. 
3. Over this area of some 60000 sq km, spread over the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the working group has recommended a prohibitory regime on those activities with maximum interventionist and destructive impact on the environment.

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Hills (in Maharashtra), is a mountainous ridge running parallel to the west coast of India.

The Western Ghats was declared as an ecological hotspot in 1988.

A large number of plants, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals are endemic to this region.

This area has a number of protected areas including 2 biosphere reserves, 14 national parks and several wild life sanctuaries. 

Besides, many regions are declared as reserve forests. In recent times, due to anthropogenic pressures the intactness of the Western Ghats is getting fragmented day-by-day.

Most of the ecosystem, which is outside protected area, is now in danger. The habitat of plants and animals is also threatened due to large-scale deforestation and destruction of forests.