Western Ghats ESA Notification
The Union government has re-issued a draft notification classifying parts of the Western Ghats across six states as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) for the sixth time in a decade. The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Range, stretch around 1,600 kilometers from Gujarat to Kerala, encompassing Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, it faces significant conservation challenges. The Gadgil Report (WGEEP) initially proposed designating the entire range as an ESA, recommending strict conservation measures and restrictions on mining and large-scale projects. In contrast, the Kasturirangan Report suggested a more targeted approach, identifying specific ESA regions to balance conservation with development needs.
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