kasturirangan report.........

1. BY
NITHIN KB

2. Western Ghats
 on the fringes of the west coast of India.
 Extending-1500-1600 km.
 average elevation < 600 m.
 Six States viz. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
 home for 50 million people.
 source of water for entire Peninsular India.
 influences monsoons.
 retains only 7% of original forest cover.
 world’s hottest hotspots of biodiversity.

3. Background and Constitution
of HLWG
 increasing population-degradation
 ecological sensitivity and significance of the region&
 possible impacts of climate change.
 MoEF of Union Constituted MADHAV GADGIL
COMMITTEE(WGEEP report) to study.
 Later, a High-Level Working Committee under Kasturirangan
appointed by Union -to review the report.

4. examine WGEEP Report.
 suggest further course of action;
 other relevant matters to be considered.
submission of Action Plan to implement
WGEEP Report.
 submitted 490 page report to
environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan
on April 16,2013.

5. REPORT
Of the total area
60 % - cultural landscape –
human dominated land settlements,
agriculture & plantations.
 40 % of land-natural landscape.
biologically rich area- 37 %.
Govt. to notify ESA-Economically sensitive areas
Areas with low fragmentation & population density ,Protected
Areas (PAs), World Heritage Sites (WHSs) & Tiger & Elephant
corridors.

6. Landscape division
Landscape
Cultural
Natural
bio rich

7. Threats by development projects & urban
growth.
suggests high level of scrutiny and
assessment.
To facilitate sustainable development in the
WG region, inhabited by about 50 million
people, the non ESA (mostly cultural
landscape)well demarcated.
The need for urgent action.

8. development restrictions- notified area
put ESA map in the public domain
prohibitory and regulatory regime in ESA
for activities
other infrastructure development activities,
necessary for region be carefully before
clearance.
complete ban on mining, quarrying and
sand mining in ESA.
No thermal power projects to be allowed in
ESA.

9.  Hydropower projects may be allowed subject
to conditions.
 ‘Red’ category industries strictly banned.
 Building and construction projects of 20,000
m2 and above should not be allowed.
Townships and area development projects to
be prohibited.
 The villages falling under ESA will be
involved in decision making on the future
projects. All projects will require prior-informed
consent and no- objection from the
Gram Sabha of the village.

10. WG States to come together to negotiate for a grant-in
aid from the Centre.
 to promote sustainable tourism
 The tourism policy for Ecologically Sensitive Area of
the Western Ghats must provide local community
ownership and benefits.
 be monitored for compliance with environmental
conditions and development restrictions and
assessed in terms of impact.

11. CRITICAL EVALUATION
 According to National Forest Policy the minimum
forest cover in hilly areas is to be 66%. Not complied.
 the HLWG’s recommendations are final ; no scope for
discussion at grass root level.
 The ESA proposed based mainly on the distribution of
flora & nothing on fauna( rarity, endemism or
abundance), apart from elephant and tiger corridors.
 wildlife habitats not included in demarcation of ESA.
 the HLWG has not considered the principles and
practices in ecology

12.  opened up almost 2/3rd of WG for development
with no strict checks and balances.
 Demarcation based on Talukas(having more than
20% of its area above 600 m is considered WG).
these are not natural units. parameters which are
natural, namely altitude and vegetation should
have been considered for demarcation.
 HLWG has not mentioned on protection of sacred
groves.
 freshwater biodiversity is even under greater
threat than forest biodiversity.

13. SECTOR LEVEL PLANNING IN THE ESA
 Mining, quarrying and sand mining
 Conversion of agricultural land
 Forestry
 Larger dams
 Power
Water Conservation
 Agriculture
 Incentives to farmers
Roads & Railway lines
 Industries
Vital issues not mentioned

14. AGAINST HLWG
 The LDF and High Range Protection Committee
 Former Chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, V S
Vijayan, report was not legally maintainable.
 Criticising the NDA government for deciding to pursue
Kasturirangan Report instead of the Gadgil’s Report, the
science movement activists, who spoke at the convention
maintained that the NDA had gone back on its promise given to
the public before the election that it would support the Gadgil
committee report if it came to power.
 Farmers strongly oppose the panel report.

15. Members of Parliament from Kerala, along with other MPs, protest
against the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan report on the
Western Ghats, at Parliament House in New Delhi.

16. CONCLUSION
 In a State like Kerala facing severe ecological problems, such a
move will lead to disastrous consequences.
 The development and conservation should go hand-in- hand, in a
totally democratic and transparent way.
 The politicians are creating a chaos.
 Protection of nature is not the sole responsibility of
environmental agencies. Each human being has a responsibility to
do so.