Lok Sabha Question No. 300 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Western Ghats
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION N0. 300

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2016

## Western Ghats

## *300.    DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Western Ghats is one of the most fragile ecosystem in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether forest cover is on the decline in the Western Ghats during the period 2003 to 2012 and if so, the details thereof indicating the extent of decline, State-wise;
- (c) whether a study report of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore has revealed large changes in the land usage in the Western Ghats and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) the changes noticed in the flora and fauna of Western Ghats in the recent past; and
- (e) the steps taken to preserve and conserve Western Ghats?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (A) to (E) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  300  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  6.12.2016  REGARDING 'WESTERN GHATS' BY DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

- (a) Yes,  Sir.    Western  Ghats  is  a  natural  geological  landscape  stretching  across  about 1500  kilometers  along  the  west  coast  of  six  states  namely,  Gujarat,  Maharashtra,  Goa, Karnataka,  Kerala  and  Tamil  Nadu  and  is  a  global  biodiversity  hotspot  due  to  its  rich biological diversity.
- (b) The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has reported that no specific data on the extent of forest  cover  and  its  decline  in  the  entire  Western  Ghats  has  been  documented  in  the  India State of Forest Report (ISFR).
- (c) The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore in its study has reported changes in the  land  use  in  some  selected  areas  of  Western  Ghats  in  the  districts  of  Shimoga  and Chikmangalur in Karnataka due to the activities such as plantation, cultivation and increased human settlements/habitation.
- (d) Organisations such as the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of  India  (ZSI)  have  undertaken  surveys  of  flora  and  fauna  which  indicate  that  complete documentation on the inventory on flora and fauna of Western Ghats is not available.
- (e) The  Government  of  India  has  taken  several  steps  for  the  conservation  of  the biodiversity  of  Western  Ghats.  These  include,  establishment  of  Protected  Areas  (PAs) comprising  16 National Parks, 54 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 6 Conservation  Reserves, 1 Community  Reserves,  9  Tiger  Reserves  and  2  Elephant  Reserves  to  provide  stringent protection to both flora and fauna under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. In addition, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued a  draft  notification  dated  04.09.2015  for  notifying  an  area  of  56,825  square  kilometres  as ecologically sensitive covering six states in the Western Ghats, while permitting sustainable development in the area.

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