Congress criticises Centre for delaying 'ecologically sensitive area' tag for Western Ghats

The Congress on Friday, 2 August accused the Centre of delay in declaring the ‘ecologically sensitive area’ tag for a portion of the Western Ghats and claimed that it is “directly responsible” for the human tragedy in Wayanad.

The opposition party’s attack came after the Centre issued a fresh draft notification to declare more than 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days.

The notification, issued on 31 July, came a day after a series of landslides claimed more than 300 lives in Wayanad district.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh recalled that on 5 August, 2019, during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he had raised the Issue of the protection of the Western Ghats.

“Only on 31 July, 2024, following the Wayanad catastrophe, does the Union government seem to have finally moved to declare some 57,000 square kilometres (36 per cent of the total land area of the Western Ghats) as eco-sensitive,” he said.

“The delay in the ‘ecologically sensitive area’ tag has enabled rampant and careless commercialisation, and is directly responsible for this human tragedy,” Ramesh said.

While an improvement on the present situation, the government’s reported decision to notify 36 per cent of the land area falls hugely short of the 64 per cent of land area protection level recommended by the Madhav Gadgil Working Group in 2011, the former environment minister said.

The Union government instead appears to have gone with the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee, he said.

This will result in future ecological disasters, and will threaten the livelihood and water security of the people living in these areas, Ramesh claimed.

Scientists from Kerala and beyond attribute the disaster to a deadly mix of forest cover loss, mining in the fragile terrain and climate change.

The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 square km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, as ecologically sensitive.

These villages are Periya, Thirunelli, Thondernad, Thrissilery, Kidanganad and Noolpuzha in Mananthavady taluka, and Achooranam, Chundel, Kottappadi, Kunnathidavaka, Pozhuthana, Thariyod and Vellarimala in Vythiri taluka.

The 30 July landslides affected Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala villages in Vythiri taluka which do not figure in the draft notification.

Overall, the notification proposes to declare 56,825.7 square km as ecologically sensitive, including 449 square km in Gujarat, 17,340 square km in Maharashtra, 1,461 square km in Goa, 20,668 square km in Karnataka, 6,914 square km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 square km in Kerala.

An official said that the latest draft is much more detailed and that "there are no major changes in terms of total area".

"We are hopeful that it will finally be notified," the official added.

The environment ministry has issued six draft notifications, including the one issued on 31 July, since 10 March, 2014, but the final notification is pending amid objections from states.

The draft notification suggests a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, with existing mines to be phased out within five years "from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease, whichever is earlier".

It prohibits new thermal power projects and states that existing projects can continue to operate but no expansion will be allowed.

All 'Red' category industries (highly polluting), specified by the pollution control boards, and their expansion shall be banned, it said.

Large-scale construction projects and townships are also proposed to be prohibited, with exceptions for the repair and renovation of existing buildings.