NGT directs MoEF to finalise notification of eco-sensitive zone in Western Ghats by Dec 31

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to finalise the notification of eco-sensitive zone in the Western Ghats by December 31 saying there is no justification for continued delay.

“Even if lockdown period is to be excluded, there is no justification for continued delay merely because the States have sought exclusion of area from eco sensitive zone.

“Let the needful be done now before December 31, 2020.

For any default thereafter, direction to stop salary of the Advisor, ESZ Division, MoEF will be operative.

A compliance report may be filed to this Tribunal before the next date by e-mail,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said.

It said there is demand for more and more exclusion of eco sensitive areas by those who claim the need for 'development' while need for 'environment protection' does not allow acceptance of such demands.

  This aspect needs to be finalised and has been pending consideration for the last about eight years, it said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea alleging that notification of eco-sensitive zone in the Western Ghats has not been finalised despite NGT's direction to complete the exercise within six months.

Noting that the ecology of the Western Ghats was under "serious stress", the tribunal had earlier restrained six states falling in the region from giving environmental clearance to activities which may adversely affect the eco-sensitive areas.

The green panel had allowed the MoEF to republish the draft notification of the Western Ghats 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.

The tribunal had said the Western Ghats region is one of the richest biodiversity areas which needs to be conserved.

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 (ESA).

Following protests by various groups and political parties against its recommendations, the government constituted the K Kasturirangan committee to examine the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report.

Instead of the total area, only 37 per cent (i.e. 60,000 sq km) of the of the Western Ghats be brought under the ESA, the Kasturirangan committee recommended.