Western Ghats conservation with science and dialogue
This article details the long-standing efforts to protect the Western Ghats' biodiversity through ecological sensitivity designations. It outlines the history of expert panels and the ongoing negotiations between the central government and various Indian states.
Why it matters
Illustrates the complex balance between environmental conservation and economic development in ecologically sensitive regions.
The Western Ghats, spanning six coastal States of India, are internationally recognised for their rich biodiversity. They contain 39 biodiversity hotspot areas, including national parks, reserved forests, and wildlife sanctuaries declared World Heritage Sites (WHS) by UNESCO in 2012. To protect this natural heritage, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) was constituted in 2010 under the chairmanship of ecologist, academic, and writer Madhav Gadgil. Its report recommended declaring 142 talukas covering 44 districts in the entire Western Ghats into Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), while sub-dividing it into three Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ). Such a declaration would regulate human activities to protect fragile ecosystems and, once notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, would provide legal protection.
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