The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 2 August 2024 issued the sixth iteration of a draft notification, declaring 56,825.7 sq km of the Western Ghats an ecologically sensitive area (ESA) across six states, including in Kerala’s landslide devastated Wayanad villages.
- These six states are; Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- The notification has been reissued after the previous draft, notified on July 6, 2022, lapsed. The Centre and these six states have not arrived at a consensus on the extent of ESA to be demarcated in the ecological hotspot.
- The ESAs proposed across these states are spread over 449 sq km in Gujarat, Maharashtra (17,340 sq km), Goa (1,461 sq km), Karnataka (20,668 sq km), Tamil Nadu (6,914 sq km), and Kerala (9,993.7 sq km).
- The draft notification declaring ESA over Western Ghats was first issued in March 2014, based on suggestions by the High-Level Working Group (HLWG) headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan, which was formed by the Centre in 2012.
- The HLWG panel reviewed suggestions in a report prepared by the senior ecologist Madhav Gadgil-led expert committee on ESAs. In April 2022, the Centre formed another panel to re-examine suggestions by these six state governments.
About Eco-sensitive Zones (ESZ)
- Eco-sensitive Zones around Protected Areas i.e. National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries are declared based on the proposals submitted by the State Governments and in conformity with the ‘Guidelines for declaration of Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 09th February, 2011.
- The purpose of declaring ESZ is to create some kind of “Shock Absorber” for the specialized Ecosystem, such as Protected Areas or other natural sites and is meant to act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
- On the basis of proposals and recommendations of the State Government, Union Ministry of Environment notifies the ESZs under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- ESZs are of regulatory nature rather than prohibitive nature, unless or otherwise so specified in the notification as may be required.
- Declaration of Eco-sensitive Zones does not entail any prohibition to the vocation of the local community residing within the ESZs, including agricultural activities, house constructions etc.
- Section ‘3’ of the ESZ Notification provides the Guidelines for preparation of the Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) by the respective State Government and mandates preparation of the Tourism Master Plan forming part of Zonal Master Plan on the basis of the Carrying Capacity study of the concerned ESZ.
