NEW DELHI: Three days after the massive landslides in Kerala‘s Wayanad district, Centre on Friday released a sixth draft notification proposing earmarking of 56,825 sq km as ecologically sensitive area (ESA) to prohibit/regulate environmentally hazardous human activities within the fragile Western Ghats, spread over six states.
The draft for the first time has a provision enabling the final ESA notification to be taken up “in a phased manner either state-wise or through a combined single notification” – a move that may hasten the process without waiting for all six states to be on board at the same time.The states haven’t been keen on the proposal.
Within the proposed ESA is 9,993 sq km in Kerala, which includes 13 villages in two talukas of Wayanad district, including Noolpuzha that was hit by landslides on July 30.
Farming won’t be affected, says Western Ghats eco zone draft
Earmarking of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in Western Ghats, on which Centre issues a sixth draft on Friday, was pending since August 2011, when a central panel, headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, recommended that the government take it up on priority to save the fragile terrain in six states.
Environment ministry that notified the sixth draft in official gazette days after the Wayanad tragedy on Wednesday, said the proposal will be “taken into consideration” for publishing the final notification of ESA on or after expiry of a period of 60 days from the date on which copies of the gazette are made available to the public.
The ministry sought “objections or suggestions” on the proposals in the draft. Except for provision of notification in a “phased manner”, the sixth draft broadly replicates the fifth one, issued in July 2022, whose validity expired on June 30.
Accordingly, it proposed ESA of 20,668 sq km in Karnataka; 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra; 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu; 1,461 sq km in Goa and 449 sq km in Gujarat, and recommended prohibiting or regulating certain human activities in those areas.
The draft proposed a complete ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining and high polluting industries. It said all existing mines will be phased out within five years from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of existing mining lease (whichever is earlier).
Besides, it also prohibited setting up of any new thermal power projects and expansion of existing power plants within the ESA. Construction of projects of 20,000 sq m and above; and all new and expansion of townships, and development projects with an area of 50 hectares and above or with built up area of 1.5 lakh sq m and above will also be prohibited after the final notification.
On the other hand, it proposed regulation of hydro-power projects, essential services and low-polluting industries. The need for a sixth draft arose as states failed to come on board for earmarking ESA within their respective jurisdictions in Western Ghats. The first draft notification to earmark ESA was issued in March, 2014, but the proposal remains on paper since then. In the meantime, the ministry issued 4 more drafts in 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2022.
Centre and an expert panel discussed fifth draft with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, nine times during July 2022-March 2024 but could not finalise ESA notification due to objections from states — initially from Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa, and later from Karnataka. The then Karnataka govt even requested Centre to withdraw the draft notification in 2022, arguing that ESA, covering 20,668 sq km of area within the state, would adversely affect livelihood of people.
The draft clearly specifies that agriculture, plantation and less polluting activities will not be affected due to the ESA provisions and the actual area will be finalised based on the recommendation of the states.
The draft for the first time has a provision enabling the final ESA notification to be taken up “in a phased manner either state-wise or through a combined single notification” – a move that may hasten the process without waiting for all six states to be on board at the same time.The states haven’t been keen on the proposal.
Within the proposed ESA is 9,993 sq km in Kerala, which includes 13 villages in two talukas of Wayanad district, including Noolpuzha that was hit by landslides on July 30.
Farming won’t be affected, says Western Ghats eco zone draft
Earmarking of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in Western Ghats, on which Centre issues a sixth draft on Friday, was pending since August 2011, when a central panel, headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, recommended that the government take it up on priority to save the fragile terrain in six states.
Environment ministry that notified the sixth draft in official gazette days after the Wayanad tragedy on Wednesday, said the proposal will be “taken into consideration” for publishing the final notification of ESA on or after expiry of a period of 60 days from the date on which copies of the gazette are made available to the public.
The ministry sought “objections or suggestions” on the proposals in the draft. Except for provision of notification in a “phased manner”, the sixth draft broadly replicates the fifth one, issued in July 2022, whose validity expired on June 30.
Accordingly, it proposed ESA of 20,668 sq km in Karnataka; 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra; 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu; 1,461 sq km in Goa and 449 sq km in Gujarat, and recommended prohibiting or regulating certain human activities in those areas.
The draft proposed a complete ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining and high polluting industries. It said all existing mines will be phased out within five years from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of existing mining lease (whichever is earlier).
Besides, it also prohibited setting up of any new thermal power projects and expansion of existing power plants within the ESA. Construction of projects of 20,000 sq m and above; and all new and expansion of townships, and development projects with an area of 50 hectares and above or with built up area of 1.5 lakh sq m and above will also be prohibited after the final notification.
On the other hand, it proposed regulation of hydro-power projects, essential services and low-polluting industries. The need for a sixth draft arose as states failed to come on board for earmarking ESA within their respective jurisdictions in Western Ghats. The first draft notification to earmark ESA was issued in March, 2014, but the proposal remains on paper since then. In the meantime, the ministry issued 4 more drafts in 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2022.
Centre and an expert panel discussed fifth draft with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, nine times during July 2022-March 2024 but could not finalise ESA notification due to objections from states — initially from Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa, and later from Karnataka. The then Karnataka govt even requested Centre to withdraw the draft notification in 2022, arguing that ESA, covering 20,668 sq km of area within the state, would adversely affect livelihood of people.
The draft clearly specifies that agriculture, plantation and less polluting activities will not be affected due to the ESA provisions and the actual area will be finalised based on the recommendation of the states.
#Centre #notifies #6th #draft #Western #Ghats #eco #zone #states #refuse #play #ball #India #News #Times #India
