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29 July 2026

Western Ghats eco-zone draft notification

The Western Ghats ESA notification is a recurring, high-stakes policy issue involving the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports, directly testing the balance between environmental conservation and federal developmental priorities.

2 min read Day 1 of 2 2 questions 2 prelims

Notes

  • The Union Environment Ministry has reissued a draft notification for the seventh time in over a decade to declare the Western Ghats an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
  • The draft proposes an ESA of 56,825.7 sq. km across six states: Gujarat (449 sq. km), Maharashtra (17,340 sq. km), Goa (1,461 sq. km), Karnataka (20,668 sq. km), Kerala (9,993.7 sq. km), and Tamil Nadu (6,914 sq. km).
  • Proposed prohibitions include mining, quarrying, sand mining, new thermal power plants, and large-scale construction projects; hydel power generation will be regulated.
  • The notification remains open for public objections for 60 days.
  • A 2022 expert committee is currently reviewing state-level objections regarding the specific demarcation of village boundaries and land inclusion.
  • The current draft shows no substantive changes compared to the July 2024 notification.
  • Historical context: The Madhav Gadgil panel (2011) recommended protecting the entire 1,29,000 sq. km mountain chain; the K. Kasturirangan committee (subsequent) recommended designating 37% (59,940 sq. km) as an ESA.
  • States have raised concerns regarding the impact of the ESA status on agriculture, plantations, infrastructure, and regional development.

Part of a longer story

This is day 1 of 2 in Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area Notification Process, which has been running since 29 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Discuss the challenges in balancing ecological conservation with developmental aspirations in the context of the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notification. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. The demarcation of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area has faced repeated delays due to inter-state disagreements. Analyze the institutional mechanisms required to resolve conflicts between federal environmental mandates and state-level developmental concerns. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. Which committee recommended that approximately 37% of the Western Ghats be designated as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)?

  2. Which of the following states is NOT among the six states identified in the draft notification for the Western Ghats ESA?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-29/western-ghats-eco-zone-draft-notification