Context: The Union Environment Ministry’s expert committee, led by former forest director-general Sanjay Kumar, is set to examine Goa’s proposals concerning eco-sensitive areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats.
Committees on Western Ghats:
- Sanjay Kumar Committee:
- Formed to review state objections on ESA demarcations and validate proposed exclusions.
- Will conduct field visits to verify if demands for village exclusions from ESA listings are justified.
- Seeks to finalize the ESA status for villages, restricting activities harmful to biodiversity.
- Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011):
- Established by UPA government to propose protection measures for the Western Ghats.
- Recommended designating the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive.
- Proposed the creation of a dedicated ecological authority to regulate development.
- Report suggested rigorous conservation, but its recommendations were not fully adopted.
- Kasturirangan Committee (2012):
- Formed as a follow-up to the Gadgil Committee to provide a more moderate approach.
- Based ESA demarcations on 37% of the Western Ghats, focusing on forested areas.
- Emphasized a balance between conservation and developmental needs, allowing limited activity in specific areas.
Relevance in UPSC Syllabus
- Environment and Ecology (GS Paper III):
- Highlights biodiversity conservation in the Western Ghats, a critical ecological zone.
- Discusses sustainable development and conservation policies.
- Governance (GS Paper II):
- Showcases policy-making and Centre-State relations in ecological matters.
- Geography (GS Paper I):
- Focus on Western Ghats’ geography and its environmental challenges.
- Ethics (Ethics Paper):
- Addresses ethical dilemmas in balancing development with ecological preservation.
