Subject: GS 03: Environment
Context: The Union Environment Ministry has reissued its draft notification proposing an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) across the Western Ghats after the previous draft lapsed on 27 July 2026 without being finalised.
- Once finalised, the ESA notification would:
-
- Prohibit: Mining, quarrying, sand mining, new thermal power plants, certain industries, and large construction projects within the ESA.
- Regulate: Activities such as hydel (hydroelectric) power generation.
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| Key Facts |
| Parameter |
Detail |
| Total proposed ESA area |
56,825.7 sq. km |
| States covered |
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Expert committee constituted |
2022 |
| Dispute origin |
2011 (Gadgil Committee report) |
The Core Dispute: Centre vs. States
- The Centre has been unable to resolve long-standing differences with the six Western Ghats States over the precise villages and regions to be included within the eco-sensitive zone.
- States’ concerns centre on the notification’s potential impact on:
- Agriculture and plantations
- Infrastructure
- Other development activities
- An expert committee, constituted in 2022, is still examining State objections regarding the “correct names and area of villages” to be included, along with other State-submitted suggestions.
Background: Timeline of the Western Ghats ESA Dispute
| Year |
Development |
| 2011 |
- Gadgil Committee (chaired by ecologist Madhav Gadgil) recommends entire 1,29,000 sq. km Western Ghats mountain chain be treated as ecologically sensitive, with graded levels of protection.
- States object to the Gadgil Committee’s sweeping recommendations.
- High-Level Working Group chaired by K. Kasturirangan reviews the proposal.
|
| 2013 |
- Kasturirangan panel recommends ~37% of the Western Ghats (59,940 sq. km) of natural landscape be designated ESA — a significantly scaled-down area.
|
| Since 2014 |
- Successive draft notifications issued, each attempting to reconcile conservation goals with State concerns — current draft is the 7th in this series.
|
About the Western Ghats (UPSC Prelims 2005)
- Western Ghats is a 1,500 km-long mountain chain running parallel to India’s western coast.
- Western Ghats are relatively lower in the northern region .
- The elevation of the Western Ghats increases from north to south.
What is an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)?
- An ESA is an area notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, where certain developmental activities are regulated or prohibited to protect fragile ecosystems.
- Objectives
-
- Conservation of biodiversity.
- Prevention of environmental degradation.
- Promotion of sustainable development.
- Regulation of polluting activities.
|
-
- In the northern regions (Maharashtra and Gujarat), the average height is around 900–1,200 meters. Moving southward, peaks become higher, with elevations exceeding 2,000 meters in Kerala with the highest peak at Anamudi (2,695 m).
- Extends across:
- Gujarat
- Maharashtra
- Goa
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Recognized as a:
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- One of the world’s 8 hottest biodiversity hotspots.
- Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is located in the southern Western Ghats.
- Major Rivers Originating in Western Ghats
- Godavari River
- Krishna River
- Cauvery River
- Periyar River
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29 Jul 2026
