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Government re-issues draft notification declaring over 56 K sq km of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive area
['Nikhil Ghanekar', 'An Award-Winning Journalist With Years Of Experience', 'Nikhil Ghanekar Is An Assistant Editor With The National Bureau', 'Government', 'Of The Indian Express In New Delhi. He Primarily Covers Environmental Policy Matters Which Involve Tracking Key Decisions', 'Inner Workings Of The Ministry Of Environment', 'Forest', 'Climate Change. He Also Covers The Functioning Of The National Green Tribunal', 'Writes On The Impact Of Environmental Policies On Wildlife Conservation', 'Forestry Issues']
The Indian Express
The Centre has issued a seventh iteration of a draft notification declaring 56,825.7 square kilometre of Western Ghats, the biodiversity hotspot spread across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA).
The ESAs proposed across these states are spread over 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala.
Karnataka continues to oppose the draft notification, while the Centre is still resolving sticking points and information discrepancies with Kerala and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
Story continues below this adIt was stated that the draft notification be finalised in a phased manner, either state-wise or through a combined single notification —a provision that was also inserted in the previous draft notification published on August 2, 2024.
The draft notification declaring ESAs in Western Ghats was first issued in March 2014, based on recommendations by the High-Level Working Group (HLWG), headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation chairman K Kasturirangan.