The Western Ghats, spanning six coastal States of India, are internationally recognised for his or her wealthy biodiversity. They include 39 biodiversity hotspot areas, together with nationwide parks, reserved forests, and wildlife sanctuaries declared World Heritage Websites (WHS) by UNESCO in 2012. To guard this pure heritage, the Western Ghats Ecology Skilled Panel (WGEEP) was constituted in 2010 beneath the chairmanship of ecologist, tutorial, and author Madhav Gadgil. Its report beneficial declaring 142 talukas masking 44 districts in the complete Western Ghats into Ecologically Delicate Space (ESA), whereas sub-dividing it into three Ecologically Delicate Zones (ESZ). Such a declaration would regulate human actions to guard fragile ecosystems and, as soon as notified beneath the Atmosphere Safety Act, 1986, would offer authorized safety.
The ESA journey
Following robust native and political opposition within the States involved to the WGEEP suggestions, the central authorities constituted a high-level working group headed by Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan in 2012 to overview them. The group restricted restrictions on financial actions and livelihoods to ecologically delicate pure landscapes, decreasing the realm lined to solely 37% of the Western Ghats
Primarily based on this recalibrated report, the Ministry of Atmosphere, Forest and Local weather Change (MoEF&CC) issued the primary draft notification in 2014. Because the matter remained unresolved, the Ministry constituted an professional panel headed by former Director Normal of Forests Sanjay Kumar in 2022 to look at the issues raised by the stakeholder States. Following the professional panel’s deliberations, Gujarat and Goa seem to have agreed to the finalisation of the ESA notification, whereas Maharashtra has sought a contemporary overview.
Discussions between the Centre and different States, together with Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, are ongoing. A “phased rollout” or “State-wise finalisation” is feasible after the inclusion of this clause within the 2024 draft notification.
Between 2015 and 2026, 5 draft notifications have been issued because the Centre and States didn’t attain a consensus. Following the expiry of the final notification, in July 2026, the Ministry has prolonged the professional panel’s tenure by one other 12 months.
The case of Karnataka
Karnataka has 10 districts within the Western Ghats, with 23.4% of the State’s inhabitants residing there. Round 20,668 sq. kilometres have been recognized for ESA declaration. Whatever the authorities’s political affiliation, the State has constantly opposed the proposal, citing its potential influence on agriculture, plantations, mining, and infrastructure improvement.
A research by this author lined villages positioned within the proximity of 10 WHS throughout 4 districts — Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Udupi — and three different vital websites in Uttara Kannada and Udupi, together with the Kali Tiger Reserve, Mundigekere Fowl Sanctuary (5 acres and a breeding floor for cattle egrets in Sirsi), and Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. The research highlighted native views on livelihoods and conservation efforts.
In villages adjoining the Kali Tiger Reserve and Kudremukh Nationwide Park, some residents reported accepting or contemplating rehabilitation packages. These opposing relocation felt that they may finally need to observe resulting from declining village populations and the ensuing risk to village life. Even villages with granted forest rights have confronted challenges resulting from restrictions on minor forest produce assortment and agricultural practices. Considerations have been additionally raised over the rejection of forest rights claims by non-tribals with long-standing residence, together with in a village (no less than 150 years) close to the Balahalli Reserved Forest. In the meantime, native officers and a few communities supported regulating environmentally dangerous actions comparable to stone quarrying and unplanned tourism initiatives, together with proposals for forest ropeways.
With particular reference to the notifications, it have to be famous that native communities confronted related restrictions every time these areas have been declared protected zones, even earlier than the WGEEP was constituted. Many residents imagine that buffer zones lengthen 10 kilometres from core areas and worry potential eviction from their lands. Stakeholders throughout the research districts unanimously expressed issues that reliance on satellite tv for pc imagery for figuring out ESA areas was unfair, as they have been satisfied that it couldn’t distinguish plantation crops comparable to arecanut, shade-grown espresso, rubber, and coconut from forest cowl. Additionally they raised issues that no committees had bodily visited their villages.
On this context, Karnataka’s case requires an empathetic method that addresses real stakeholder issues earlier than a remaining determination is taken.
Defending indigenous communities
Within the broader context, the Union authorities’s determination to proceed with the ESA notification for the Western Ghats displays political will to guard ecology and biodiversity. Conservation efforts can’t be indefinitely delayed as it would lead to States shedding their management in such areas; ecological methods transcend administrative boundaries.
Extra importantly, ESA ought to embrace indigenous communities residing deep inside forests, as they naturally observe conservation rules and preserve a sacred, sustainable relationship with the surroundings regardless of difficult situations. Their presence serves as a bridge between forests and mainstream society, whereas their absence dangers the lack of biocultural range.
Madhusudan Bandi is a college member on the Gujarat Institute of Growth Analysis, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Revealed – August 01, 2026 12:08 am IST
