Lok Sabha Question No. 164 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-21
Subject: Protection of Environment
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sougata Ray

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 164

TO BE ANSWERED ON  21.06.2019

## Protection of Environment

## 164.    PROF. SAUGATA ROY.:

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

- (a) whether the Government is keen to implement Madhav Gadgil Committee Report to protect the environment in view of the un-precedented climatic changes in the country;
- (b) if so, the steps taken so far to implement the report;
- (c) if not, the reasons for not implementing the committee recommendations;
- (d) whether any State Government has raised objections in this regard and if so,the details thereof;
- (e) whether the  Government  has  taken  note  that  large  areas  which  are  environmentally sensitive are under encroachment; and
- (f) if so, the State-wise details thereof and the action taken to evict the encroachers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to  (d)  To  preserve  and  protect  Western  Ghats, this Ministry had set up  the  Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) under the Chairmanship of Prof. Madhav Gadgil for recommending  measures  for  the  conservation  and  environmental  integrity  of  the  Western Ghats to promote sustainable development of the region. Considering large scale objections to the  report  submitted  by  WGEEP,  a  High  Level  Working  Group  (HLWG)  under  the Chairmanship  of  Dr.  K.  Kasturirangan  was  constituted  by  this  Ministry  to  examine  the WGEEP  Report  in  a  holistic  manner  and  recommend  measures  for  the  protection  of  the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) of Western Ghats.

Based on the recommendation of HLWG, to provide immediate protection to the ESA of the Western  Ghats,  the  Government  issued  Directions  under  Section  5  of  the  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on 13.11.2013. As per the Directions, the five categories of new and/or expansion projects/activities having maximum interventionist impact on ecosystems namely (i)      Mining,  quarrying  and  sand  mining  (ii)      Thermal  Power  Plants  (iii)      Building  and construction  projects  of  20,000  square  meters  area  and  above  (iv)  Township  and  area development projects with an area of 50 hectares and   above and /or with built up area of 1,50,000  square  meters  and  above  and  (v)  Red  category  of  industries  are  prohibited  in  the ESA of Western Ghats.

Further, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) had issued draft Notification vide S.O. 733 (E) dated 10.02.2014, with an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) of  56,825 square kilometres, in the States of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.  The draft Notification was subsequently republished thrice, vide S.O. 2435 (E)  dated  04.09.2015;  S.O.  667  (E)  dated  27.02.2017  and  S.O.  5135  (E)  dated  03.10.2018 with same ESA area.  Due to persistence demand from the states to reduce/alter the ESA area from the recommendation of the HLWG, the draft Notification could not be finalised.

(e) to (f) No case of encroachment in the Ecologically  Sensitive Area is reported by the state Government to this Ministry.

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