Centre notifies 7th draft for ecological zones in Western Ghats
The Indian government has issued a seventh draft notification to designate ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats to prevent environmental degradation. The proposal faces resistance from several states concerned about the impact on local livelihoods and economic activities.
Why it matters
The ongoing conflict highlights the tension between environmental conservation efforts and regional economic development in one of India's most fragile ecosystems.
NEW DELHI: Unable to bring states on board for demarcating ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in the Western Ghats despite six draft notifications since 2014, the Centre released the seventh one proposing the earmarking of 56,825 sq km across states as sensitive zone to prohibit/regulate environmentally hazardous human activities within the fragile region.Spread over six states - Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - the Western Ghats is an important geological landform on the fringe of the west coast of India, extending over a distance of approximately 1,500 km.Main objections over earmarking ESA are learnt to have come from peninsular states, primarily Kerala, as they insisted that the proposed prohibited zones would adversely affect the livelihood of people due to a ban on certain activities.
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