Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was swift in his action on the draft notification of ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats region. With Assembly elections nine months away, the ESA’s potential impact on poll prospects pushed his Cabinet to take a stand opposing the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. There was immense pressure from his Cabinet colleagues and legislators representing the areas that form the proposed ESA, cutting across parties.
Mr. Bommai took a delegation to the Minister of MoEF, Bhupender Yadav, in New Delhi and later announced that there was no question of implementing it. For the last 10 years, successive governments have opposed the recommendations of the High-Level Working Group headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan on the ESA. This is the fifth notification issued by the MoEF.
The Western Ghats are spread across six States — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Karnataka has the largest ESA of 20,668 sq. km, as proposed in the draft notification. The area is spread over 1,572 villages across 10 districts. The notification proposes to completely ban mining activities and red-category industries in the area. New townships with 50 hectares of land or 1.5 lakh sq. metre of built-up area are prohibited. Hydropower projects and industries under the orange category are allowed after ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. There is no restriction on repair, extension or renovation of houses. All existing healthcare establishments can continue. The MoEF has made it clear that nobody would be evicted or relocated.
