Western Ghats ESA: Keralam submits recommendations to Centre, seeks limiting area to 8,590 sq km

Environment and Ecology / Federalism · 26 September 2026 · Based on The Hindu (original report)

2-minute summary

The Kerala government has formally submitted recommendations to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change seeking to limit the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in the Western Ghats within the State to 8,590.69 sq km, strictly restricted to forest areas. The State government plans to introduce a resolution in the State Assembly to push for the exclusion of all populated areas, farmlands, and plantations from the ESA notification. Highlighting Kerala's unique demographic pressures—including high population density and a forest cover of 29.15%—the state argues that additional environmental restrictions alongside existing stringent state laws (such as protections for paddy lands, wetlands, and forests) would severely impact local livelihoods, agriculture, and development. This follows the Centre's issuance of successive draft notifications, culminating in the seventh draft in July 2026, which did not fully accommodate Kerala's demand to reduce the area from 9,993.7 sq km and prune the list of covered villages. Past committees, notably the Madhav Gadgil and K. Kasturirangan panels, have long debated the ecological fragility versus developmental needs of the Western Ghats region across six stakeholder states.

Why it's in the news

Kerala has formally submitted its updated recommendations to the Union government to limit the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) to 8,590.69 sq km (strictly restricted to forest areas) ahead of the deadline, and announced plans for a state legislative resolution.

Facts to remember

• The Kerala government submitted recommendations to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change seeking to limit the Ecologically Sensitive Area in the Western Ghats to 8,590.69 sq km.
• Kerala's proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area is strictly restricted to forest areas.
• The seventh draft notification was issued in July 2026.
• Past expert panels debating the Western Ghats include those headed by Madhav Gadgil and K. Kasturirangan.

Background and context

The Western Ghats span six states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala—and are recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. To protect its fragile ecology, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) constituted expert panels. The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), headed by Madhav Gadgil in 2011, recommended designating the entire Western Ghats as an ESA with varying levels of restrictions, which drew criticism for being too restrictive on development. Subsequently, the High-Level Working Group (HLWG) headed by K. Kasturirangan in 2013 recommended limiting the ESA to 37% of the total Western Ghats area (~60,000 sq km), covering 123 villages in Kerala alone, and adopting a paradigm of sustainable development where only natural forests and select areas were protected while completely excluding inhabited and agricultural regions. However, state governments, including Kerala, have continuously pushed back against draft notifications, citing livelihood concerns, population density, and existing stringent state conservation laws.

Constitutional provisions

• Article 48A — Direct Principle of State Policy obligating the State to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
• Article 51A(g) — Fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.
• Seventh Schedule (Concurrent List, Entry 17A & 17B) — Deals with forests and protection of wild animals and birds, enabling both Centre and States to legislate on environmental matters.

Committees and reports

• Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP / Madhav Gadgil Committee) — Recommended classifying the entire Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) divided into zones with strict restrictions on development, mining, and land use.
• High-Level Working Group (HLWG / K. Kasturirangan Committee) — Recommended bringing 37% of the Western Ghats under ESA, focusing on cultural landscapes versus natural landscapes, and excluding populated habitations.
• Oommen V. Oommen Committee — State-level committee constituted by Kerala to review the Kasturirangan report recommendations and assess ground realities regarding habitations and plantations.

International organisations

• UNESCO — Inscribed the Western Ghats as a natural World Heritage Site in 2012, recognizing its exceptional universal value and rich biodiversity.

Previous UPSC questions on this theme

• Prelims GS-1 2016 — 'Gadgil Committee Report' and 'Kasturirangan Committee Report', sometimes seen in the news, are related to (a) constitutional reforms (b) Ganga Action Plan (c) linking of rivers (d) protection of Western Ghats

Mains practice: Examine the challenges in balancing environmental conservation with developmental aspirations in ecologically sensitive regions like the Western Ghats.

Introduction:

The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site and global biodiversity hotspot, face severe ecological degradation due to climate change, mining, infrastructure projects, and unplanned urbanization. However, managing conservation through Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notifications has sparked intense friction between central conservation mandates and state-level developmental and livelihood imperatives.

Body:

• Ecological Necessity: Fragile topography, recurrent extreme weather events (such as landslides and floods), and rich endemic flora and fauna necessitate stringent protection under frameworks recommended by panels like the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committees.

• Socio-Economic and Demographic Realities: Unlike sparsely populated forests, regions like Kerala feature high population density, extensive farmlands, and cash-crop plantations within or adjoining notified zones, making blanket restrictions economically unviable.

• Federal and Jurisdictional Friction: Successive draft notifications by the Centre versus states' demands to exclude populated and agricultural areas highlight the challenge of imposing top-down environmental edicts without adequate grassroots consultation.

• Existing Regulatory Frameworks: States often argue that local legislation protecting paddy lands, wetlands, and reserve forests already offer robust environmental safeguards, rendering additional central restrictions redundant and punitive.

Conclusion:

Effective conservation in the Western Ghats requires a cooperative federal approach that harmonizes ecological security with inclusive local development. Sustainable management must integrate participatory conservation models, scientific zoning, and robust compensation or livelihood transition mechanisms for vulnerable hill-fringe communities.

Prelims practice questions

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Western Ghats: 1. The Western Ghats span across six states in India. 2. The Western Ghats are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage natural site. 3. The Madhav Gadgil Committee recommended classifying only 37% of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct: The Western Ghats traverse six states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Statement 2 is correct: They were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. Statement 3 is incorrect: It was the K. Kasturirangan Committee (HLWG) that recommended bringing about 37% (~60,000 sq km) of the Western Ghats under the ESA, whereas the Madhav Gadgil Committee (WGEEP) recommended classifying the entire Western Ghats region as an ESA.

Q2. Which of the following bodies/ministries is responsible for issuing draft notifications regarding Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats?

1. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
2. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
3. National Green Tribunal (NGT)
4. Ministry of Earth Sciences

Answer: A. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal central ministry responsible for issuing draft and final notifications designating Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Q3. With reference to the governance and environmental protection of the Western Ghats, consider the following committees: 1. Madhav Gadgil Committee 2. K. Kasturirangan Committee Which of these were constituted to review and recommend measures for the protection of the Western Ghats ecology?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C. Both the Madhav Gadgil Committee (WGEEP, 2011) and the K. Kasturirangan Committee (HLWG, 2013) were constituted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to recommend environmental protection and management strategies for the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats region.

Revision flashcards

• Which Indian ministry issues draft notifications for the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)? Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• What was the core difference between the Gadgil Committee and Kasturirangan Committee reports regarding Western Ghats ESA coverage? Gadgil Committee recommended designating the entire Western Ghats as an ESA; Kasturirangan Committee recommended restricting ESA to approximately 37% of the region.
• How many states do the Western Ghats traverse? Six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
• In which year were the Western Ghats inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site? 2012.
• Under which central legislation are Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) typically notified in India? The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.