CivilsIASPrep.comMore time for Western Ghats panel as eco-sensitive area deadlock continues
What does this development mean for UPSC preparation?
The expert committee on Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) received a one-year extension amid a deadlock over finalising the demarcation.
UPSC CSE Context
Why in News
The expert committee on Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) received a one-year extension amid a deadlock over finalising the demarcation.
Syllabus Connection
Environment: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Exam Relevance
Relevant for questions on balancing development and conservation, federal challenges in environmental governance, and biodiversity hotspot protection.
Core Issue
Deadlock over Western Ghats ESA demarcation continues.
Key Development
The 2022 expert committee's tenure was extended to July 2027 as the sixth draft notification lapsed without consensus.
Stakeholders
- Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Expert committee headed by Sanjay Kumar
- State governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Static Knowledge
High-Value Background
- The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's eight hottest biodiversity hotspots.
- The Kasturirangan panel (2013) recommended 37% of the Western Ghats as ESA, diluting the Gadgil panel's proposal for the entire region.
Exam Linkage
- Useful for questions on the conflict between conservation mandates and state development priorities under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Institutions and Mechanisms
- Expert committee constituted by MoEFCC to resolve state objections to ESA demarcation.
Dynamic Analysis
Federalism
- State resistance to ESA notification reflects tension between central conservation mandates and local economic interests.
- Prolonged negotiations with states like Maharashtra and Kerala indicate the Centre's reliance on consensus-building rather than unilateral action.
- The lapse of six draft notifications highlights institutional weakness in enforcing environmental regulations across federal units.
Development
- Uncertainty over ESA boundaries deters investment in ecologically sensitive regions, affecting livelihoods dependent on regulated activities.
- Delayed demarcation allows continued mining, quarrying, and infrastructure expansion in biodiversity-rich areas.
- Balancing sustainable development with conservation remains a key challenge, as seen in the advanced talks with Goa and Gujarat.
Ecology and environment
- The Western Ghats' unique endemism faces threats from habitat fragmentation due to unregulated land-use changes.
- Prolonged deadlock undermines the precautionary principle, as ecological degradation continues in the absence of legal protection.
- Climate resilience of the region is compromised when forest cover and connectivity are lost to non-forest activities.
Mains Value Addition
Arguments
- The repeated lapse of draft notifications erodes the credibility of the environmental clearance process.
- State-specific negotiations, while politically pragmatic, risk diluting ecological criteria for ESA identification.
- The extension of the expert committee without clear terms of reference indicates a lack of urgency in protecting a global biodiversity hotspot.
Examples
- Maharashtra submitted a revised ESA proposal in June 2026, reflecting ongoing state-level recalibration of conservation boundaries.
Data Points
- The 2024 draft notification demarcated 56,825.7 sq km as ESA across six states.
Counterpoints
- State governments argue that excessive ESA restrictions hinder infrastructure development and local livelihoods.
- Consensus-based approaches may be necessary to ensure compliance and avoid legal challenges from affected communities.
Way Forward
- Set a binding timeline for the expert committee to submit a final report to prevent indefinite delays.
- Adopt a zonal approach within ESAs, allowing regulated eco-friendly activities to address state concerns.
- Strengthen the role of the National Green Tribunal in monitoring compliance with ESA notifications.
- Incentivize states through ecological fiscal transfers for preserving notified ESAs.
- Conduct a scientific reassessment of ESA boundaries using satellite data and biodiversity indices to build consensus.
How should an aspirant use this analysis?
Connect the development to the relevant syllabus phrase, distinguish verified facts from interpretation, and use the cited source to confirm time-sensitive details. For Mains, frame the issue through stakeholders, constitutional or institutional context, implementation constraints and a balanced way forward. For Prelims, extract only testable terms, bodies, provisions, locations and cause-effect relationships.