The deadline for submitting objections to the central government is September 27, 2024. However short or long, voice your concerns, send in your objections/suggestions to esz-mef@nic.in directly from your email IDs.
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The central government has released the sixth draft of the Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESA) notification, following the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee (Access here: https://moef.gov.in/storage/tender/1723024218.pdf Like the previous five failed attempts, this draft faces fierce resistance from various factions, while concerned citizens continue to push for the urgent need to protect this critical region (1)(2).
This sixth draft is almost identical to the fifth. Even more concerning, it was issued on July 31, just one day after devastating landslides hit Wayanad district in Kerala amid torrential rains (3). Landslides were also reported across the Western Ghats in Karnataka, but they went largely unnoticed in the media. Most of these incidents occurred in areas disrupted by reckless road projects and so-called ‘development’ efforts, exposing the disregard to the delicateness of the sensitive hill districts (4).
But landslides are only the tip of the iceberg. The Western Ghats face even greater threats due to our leaders' short-sightedness and their willful ignorance of the looming climate catastrophe. The state government is pushing forward with destructive projects, like draining a west-flowing river to quench Bengaluru's unending thirst—despite previous failures (5). In another reckless move, they’re pursuing a pumped-storage power project in the heart of the Sharavathi valley's dense forests, even as the rest of the world wakes up to the dangers of such dam projects (6). Time and again, these disastrous mega-infrastructure projects have been criticized by the scientific community, and environmental experts, but successive governments stubbornly prioritize short-term economic gains over the long-term survival of the life-sustaining Western Ghats.
And through it all, the concerns of the people are being ignored. The state environment ministry is considering cutting 4,000 square kilometers from the proposed ESA in Karnataka. The remaining 16,632 square kilometers under review are already designated as reserve forests, sanctuaries, and eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) (7). Yet, local representatives from the 10 Western Ghats districts of Karnataka are rallying against the ESA designation, fearing proposed prohibitions on mining, thermal power plants, and large-scale land conversion projects (8).
Instead of protecting local communities, politicians are turning a blind eye. Landslides triggered by quarrying, mining, and large-scale projects continue to threaten lives. These activities cut through steep hillsides and destroy old-growth trees that hold the fragile hills together. Politicians are siding with various lobby groups like the timber, road, real estate, and tourism, to exclude more land from the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). This puts the lives and livelihoods of Karnataka's farmers at even greater risk. Instead of championing conservation, they fight to keep the path open for further exploitation (9).
Why is the ESA so important? The Madhav Gadgil Committee initially recommended that a significant 67% of the Western Ghats—about [~1,07,200 in square kilometers]—, be designated as an ESA marked out (10)(11). The Kasturirangan Committee later reduced this to 33%, or [~57,000 square kilometers] (12). And now, the state government aims to reduce this critical area even further, when climate change related catastrophes are no longer a thing of the future but we are living it everyday (13). Seasons are no longer predictable— Monsoon rains have become dangerously intense, summers are reaching record-breaking temperatures, and winters are disappearing.
Every single day, 250 million of us rely on the Western Ghats for water, food, and a stable climate. Our very existence depends on this ancient and fragile ecosystem. Yet, we continue to spread misinformation and hack away at its lifeblood, risking local lives and livelihoods for short-term gains.
We must act now!
We must demand the highest level of protection for the Western Ghats. Not tomorrow, not next year—but today. The deadline for submitting objections to the central government is September 27, 2024. However short or long, voice your concerns, send in your objections/suggestions to esz-mef@nic.in directly from your email IDs. Feel free to use information from the main petition to compile your reply to the ministry. Stand up for the Western Ghats. Stand up for our future.
Useful links:
https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/commentary-on-the-trail-of-the-wayanad-landslide/
https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/editorial/yettinahole-not-all-it-was-made-out-to-be-3183433
https://www.cppr.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Gadgil-report.pdf
https://rsdebate.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/671468/1/IQ_242_06022017_U355_p152_p152.pdf
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Picture courtesy:
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/in-pictures-the-aftermath-of-wayanad-tragedy-3135983