Western Ghats Eco-Zone: Seventh Draft Notification Issued Amid Stalemate with States
The Union Environment Ministry has reissued its draft notification proposing an ecologically sensitive area (ESA) across the Western Ghats for the seventh time in over a decade. The previous draft lapsed on July 27 without being finalised.
The latest draft, issued on July 27, 2026, will be open for public objections for 60 days before the Centre considers issuing a final notification. Once finalised, it would prohibit mining, quarrying, sand mining, new thermal power plants, certain industries, and large construction projects within the ESA. Activities such as hydel power generation would be regulated.
The fresh notification highlights the Centre’s inability to resolve long-standing differences with the six Western Ghats States — Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — over which villages and regions should be included in the eco-sensitive zone. States have raised concerns about the impact of the ESA declaration on agriculture, plantations, infrastructure, and development.
The notification notes that an expert committee formed in 2022 is still examining objections from the States regarding “the correct names and area of villages to be included in the ecologically sensitive area” and other suggestions from the State governments.
The proposed ESA remains at 56,825.7 sq. km across the six States: Karnataka (20,668 sq. km), Maharashtra (17,340 sq. km), Kerala (9,993.7 sq. km), Tamil Nadu (6,914 sq. km), Goa (1,461 sq. km), and Gujarat (449 sq. km).
A comparison with the previous draft issued in July 2024 shows no substantive changes in the notified area, State-wise extent, or regulatory provisions. The list of villages proposed for inclusion also remains unchanged. For instance, 13 villages in Kerala’s Wayanad district across Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery, and Vythiri taluks remain included.
The dispute over protecting the Western Ghats dates back to 2011, when a panel chaired by ecologist Madhav Gadgil recommended that the entire 1,29,000 sq. km mountain chain be treated as ecologically sensitive with graded protection. Following objections, a high-level working group chaired by K. Kasturirangan reviewed the proposal and recommended about 37% of the Western Ghats (59,940 sq. km) as ESA. Kerala later reduced its proposed area from 13,108 sq. km to 9,993.7 sq. km after its own field verification.
Successive draft notifications since 2014 have tried to balance conservation objectives with State concerns. The current stalemate underscores the challenge of reconciling ecological protection with regional development aspirations.
