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Centre notifies sixth draft on Western Ghats eco zone as states refuse to play ball | India Information

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NEW DELHI: Three days after the huge landslides in Kerala‘s Wayanad district, Centre on Friday launched a sixth draft notification proposing earmarking of 56,825 sq km as ecologically delicate space (ESA) to ban/regulate environmentally hazardous human actions inside the fragile Western Ghats, unfold over six states.
The draft for the primary time has a provision enabling the ultimate ESA notification to be taken up “in a phased method both state-wise or by a mixed single notification” – a transfer that will hasten the method with out ready for all six states to be on board on the identical time.The states have not been eager on the proposal.
Throughout the proposed ESA is 9,993 sq km in Kerala, which incorporates 13 villages in two talukas of Wayanad district, together with Noolpuzha that was hit by landslides on July 30.
Farming gained’t be affected, says Western Ghats eco zone draft
Earmarking of ecologically delicate areas (ESAs) in Western Ghats, on which Centre points a sixth draft on Friday, was pending since August 2011, when a central panel, headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, really useful that the federal government take it up on precedence to save lots of the delicate terrain in six states.
Surroundings ministry that notified the sixth draft in official gazette days after the Wayanad tragedy on Wednesday, mentioned the proposal shall be “considered” for publishing the ultimate notification of ESA on or after expiry of a interval of 60 days from the date on which copies of the gazette are made obtainable to the general public.
The ministry sought “objections or ideas” on the proposals within the draft. Apart from provision of notification in a “phased method”, the sixth draft broadly replicates the fifth one, issued in July 2022, whose validity expired on June 30.
Accordingly, it proposed ESA of 20,668 sq km in Karnataka; 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra; 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu; 1,461 sq km in Goa and 449 sq km in Gujarat, and really useful prohibiting or regulating sure human actions in these areas.
The draft proposed an entire ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining and excessive polluting industries. It mentioned all current mines shall be phased out inside 5 years from the date of situation of the ultimate notification or on the expiry of current mining lease (whichever is earlier).
Moreover, it additionally prohibited establishing of any new thermal energy initiatives and enlargement of current energy vegetation inside the ESA. Building of initiatives of 20,000 sq m and above; and all new and enlargement of townships, and growth initiatives with an space of fifty hectares and above or with constructed up space of 1.5 lakh sq m and above may also be prohibited after the ultimate notification.
However, it proposed regulation of hydro-power initiatives, important companies and low-polluting industries. The necessity for a sixth draft arose as states failed to return on board for earmarking ESA inside their respective jurisdictions in Western Ghats. The primary draft notification to earmark ESA was issued in March, 2014, however the proposal stays on paper since then. Within the meantime, the ministry issued 4 extra drafts in 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2022.
Centre and an professional panel mentioned fifth draft with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, 9 instances throughout July 2022-March 2024 however couldn’t finalise ESA notification because of objections from states — initially from Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa, and later from Karnataka. The then Karnataka govt even requested Centre to withdraw the draft notification in 2022, arguing that ESA, masking 20,668 sq km of space inside the state, would adversely have an effect on livelihood of individuals.
The draft clearly specifies that agriculture, plantation and fewer polluting actions is not going to be affected as a result of ESA provisions and the precise space shall be finalised primarily based on the advice of the states.



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