BENGALURU: Reiterating Karnataka’s opposition to the draft notification on the eco-sensitive area (ESA) of Western Ghats, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has appealed to the Centre to address the concerns of the state and allow meaningful discussions before taking any further steps. Karnataka is opposed to the draft notification in its present form which proposes 20,688 sqkm as ESA for the state, the CM has stressed. This is the first time any CM has written to the Centre, which in fact, will pave the way for easy clearance of projects in Western Ghats.
Till date, the Centre has issued four draft notifications – 10.3.14/ 4.9.15/ 27.2.17 and 3.10.18 — which too lapsed as there has been no consensus on the ESA area extent in some of the Western Ghats bound six states.
Writing to the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar, the Chief Minister has said with Karnataka having one-third of the proposed area of 56,825 sqkm, the state government elicited the opinion of those affected after due consideration. This was due to the Kasturirangan Committee recommending restrictions on a number of social and economic activities in the vast proposed area. Further, each of the elected representatives from the districts concerned has replied to each of the four draft notifications, voiced and detailed their concerns.
The CM says, “It is laudable that the Centre has taken initiatives to protect the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats. However, the recommendation of an ESA of 20,688 sq km in Karnataka is not feasible. As it is, 16,632 sqkm are under some form of protection either as protected areas, notified forests or ESZ. Therefore, imposing more restrictions on these areas would negate the objectives of conservation as this could be counter-productive.”
“Apart from this, the Kasturirangan Committee had also recommended a number of financial incentives so that loss of livelihood and increased cost of economic activity can be compensated appropriately,” the CM adds.
“However, there is no mention of any financial incentives in the draft notification that could be offered to the affected states. Due to these reasons, the state government has opposed the notification in its present form,” he states.
ESA imbroglio
After coming under fire from the National Green Tribunal for delays in finalizing the notification, the Centre has been pursuing and holding meetings on the issue of ESA with the six states. The fourth notification became invalid on March 31, 2019. According to MoEF officials, Karnataka has been the stumbling block as it has not even accepted the concept of ESA while other states are at least on board. Most states have been demanding reduction or alteration of ESA as the fourth draft calls for a complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in the ESA area. Further, it says all existing mines shall be phased out within five years from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease. No new thermal power projects or expansion of existing ones will be allowed while all Red Category industries are banned.
Greens flay State’s stand
Environmentalists have criticized the state government’s stand and said, “With floods and landslides becoming rampant year after year in the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats, the need of the hour is acceptance of the ESA in the present form. Otherwise, more calamities like the Kodagu floods will follow in the hill districts of Karnataka. In fact, NGT has barred any reduction in ESA after the Kerala floods,” they add.