K’taka rejects plan to declare western ghats eco-sensitive
: The union environment ministry will be soon issuing a draft notification declaring the Western Ghats as eco-sensitive area (ESA) for a second time after a similar draft in 2014 expired due to a lack of consensus among states and the Centre. Karnataka, one of the six states to be affected, has already said it will not accept the fresh notification as “it will have an adverse effect on state’s economy”.
The affected states that include Tamil Nadu, Goa, Maharashtra, Kerala and Gujarat, besides Karnataka, will have 60 days time to respond to the draft.
The first draft notification declared 56,825 sq km of the ghats in these states as ESA.
AK Mehta, additional secretary, environment ministry said, “We are in the process of republishing the draft notification. We will have a discussion with Karnataka on the matter because they are not willing to accept the notification.”
Karnataka forest minister, Shankar R, said the state will not accept any curbs under the ESA notification. “The Western Ghats ESA notification will have major impact on the state’s economy. There are already various legislations including the Forest Conservation Act 1980, which ensure protection of forests. Why do we need one more legislation? All red category industries will be restricted in the Ghats, which will affect livelihoods.”
Red category industries are heavily polluting industries like pesticides, petrochemicals, pulp and paper and cement.
The ESA restricts mining completely, setting up of new thermal power plants, polluting industries and all new large township and area development projects. After the environment ministry issued the notification in 2014, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu raised objections, saying it will impact economic development. It eventually led the notification to get lapsed.
A senior environment ministry official, who didn’t wish to be named, said this time other five states seem to be on board, having made requests for minor amendments. “Karnataka, however, is not agreeing with even the concept of ESA,” the official added.
The declaration of Western Ghats ESA has assumed significance because of the massive Kerala floods in July. Prominent ecologists like Madhav Gadgil have linked unprecedented rainfall, deforestation, mining, construction of dams and ecologically destructive activities to the exacerbation of floods.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had on September 1 barred any reduction in the ESA area in view of Kerala floods. It has directed the Centre to not reduce the area covered and issue the notification in toto. The ministry, however, is issuing a draft notification to give states some more time to respond. “We will go back to NGT if states back out,” the official cited above added.
NEW DELHI