Kerala floods: No changes should be made to eco-sensitive zones
New Delhi, Sep 5: Noting that the ecology of the Western Ghats was under serious stress, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restrained six states falling in the region from giving environmental clearance to activities which may adversely affect the eco-sensitive areas.
The green panel allowed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to republish the draft notification of the Western Ghats that lapsed on August 26 and asked it to finalise the matter within six months without alterations to the eco-sensitive zone in terms of notification dated February 27, 2017.
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A
bench
headed
by
NGT
chairperson
Justice
Adarsh
Kumar
Goel
slammed
the
states
for
the
delay
in
filing
objections
with
regard
to
the
notification
and
said
"delay
on
account
of
objections
of
states
may
not
be
conducive
to
the
protection
of
the
eco-sensitive
areas".
The
tribunal
said
the
Western
Ghats
region
is
one
of
the
richest
biodiversity
areas
which
needs
to
be
conserved.
"In view of the fact that any alteration in the draft notification dated February 27, 2017 may seriously affect the environment and especially in view of recent incidents in Kerala, we direct that no changes be made to reduce the area of eco-sensitive zone in terms of notification, without the same being considered by this tribunal.
"As
already
directed
vide
order
dated
September
25,
2014,
no
environmental
clearance
be
granted
and
no
activity
adversely
impacting
eco-sensitive
areas
be
permitted
in
the
area
covered
by
draft
notification
dated
till
the
matter
is
finalised,"
the
bench
said.
The
order
came
after
the
MoEF
in
its
affidavit
told
the
bench
that
the
earlier
notification
was
republished
on
February
27,
2017
and
was
communicated
to
the
states
of
the
Western
Ghats
region
for
their
views.
It said Karnataka raised objections seeking review of the prohibitory and regulatory regime recommended for eco-sensitive areas in Western Ghats while Goa and Gujarat had not sent their views.
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The ministry said the matter was delayed due to lack of response from some states and republication of the draft notification dated had become necessary.
The draft notification issued by the MoEF had identified area of 56,825 square kilometres spread across six states - Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - as the Ecologically Sensitive Area.
Following protests by various groups and political parties against its recommendations, the government constituted the K Kasturirangan committee to examine the WGEEP report.
Instead of the total area of Western Ghats, only 37% (i.e. 60,000 sq km) of the total area be brought under ESA under Kasturirangan report stated.