Lok Sabha Question No. 137 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Ecological Sensitive Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Suresh Kodikunnil

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 137

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Ecological Sensitive Areas

## 137.    SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  intending  to  release  the  final  notification  identifying  and demarcating Ecologically Sensitive Areas as per the recommendations contained in Dr. Kasturirangan Panel Report and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the final status of Ecologically Sensitive Areas with respect to States of Kerala and Karnataka has been finalized;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  been  formally  communicated  by  Kerala  and  Karnataka State Governments regarding the concerns pertaining to the recommendations contained in  the  Dr.  KasturiRangan  Report  adversely  affecting  the  livelihood  of  people  in  the region;
- (d) if  so,  whether the Government call for a revised estimation of recommendation of the Report in order to allay the concerns raised by various States including Kerala where a significant population resides in and around the proposed buffer zones; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (e) With a view to issue final notification to declare Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) of the Western Ghats, on the basis of Kasturirangan Panel Report,this Ministry had issued draft Notification vide S.O.  733  (E)  on  10.02.2014,  with  an  eco-sensitive  area  of  56,825  km 2 spreading  over  six  States,  namely,  Goa,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Kerala,  Maharashtra  and  Tamil Nadu.

With  persisting  demand  from  the  States  to  reduce/alter  the  ESA  area  from  the recommendation  of  the  Kasturirangan  Panel  (High  Level  Working  Group)  Report,  the  final Notification for Western Ghat Eco-sensitive Area could not be issued so far. While consistent efforts  to  bring  the  6  States  on  board  has  been  underway,  the  Ministry  has  subsequently, republished the draft Notification four times, vide S.O.  2435 (E) dated 04.09.2015; S.O. 667 (E) dated 27.02.2017; S.O. 5135 (E) dated 03.10.2018 and S.O. 3072 (E) dated 06.07.2022 with same ESA area. Presently, the recent draft notification dated 06.07.2022is under Stakeholder consultation for mandatory 60 days.

In order to follow a coherent and consistent approach in Notifying the ESA of Western Ghats,  this  Ministry  has  been  interacting  with  all  the  States  of  the  Western  Ghats  region  at various levels. Efforts are being made to finalise the notification taking into consideration the environmental  concerns  of  the  region  and  the  suggestions  and/or  recommendations  of  the concerned  State  Governments  including  Governments  of  Kerala  and  Karnatakain  a  holistic manner, keeping in view the conservation aspects of the disaster prone pristine ecosystem, and the rights, privileges, needs and developmental aspirations of the region.

To address the issues raised by the state Governments, MoEFCC has already constituted a Committee to examine the concerns/suggestions of the six state Governments.

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