Opinion growing in favour of declaring Western Ghats as ESA

Mangalore, February 15: A certain kind of industrial development should not be allowed around the Western Ghats as it was an ecologically sensitive area. This was the opinion of a majority of speakers at a meeting on “Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats” here on Monday.

The Western Ghats Task Force and the Expert Panel on Western Ghats, constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Department of Forests, Mangalore Division, jointly organised the meeting, inviting suggestions from the public about which areas could be given “Ecologically Sensitive Area” status under the Environment Protection Act 1986. Unlike a national park, an ESA did not prohibit human activity. Notification of an area as ecologically sensitive would not involve displacement and subsequent rehabilitation of forest dwellers.

Several people said the whole of the Western Ghats should be declared as ESA. They were strongly in favour of conservation efforts at the gram panchayat level as mandated by the law.

Ashok Kundapur, a participant, said: “The Western Ghats should be declared as ESA. The Danida report (a carrying capacity study of the Dakshina Kannada was done by the Danish Government at the request of the Karnataka Government in 1993. The report, submitted in 1994, outlined specific actions to be taken by the Government to ensure sustainable development of the district) was a part of the Government's treasure trove of unimplemented reports. The gram panchayats should be given the knowledge, infrastructure and authority necessary to carry out environment protection activities.”

Venugopal Gokhale of Shishila said the Kapila river should be protected as it supported a species of fish that was found only in that river.

Recommendation

The Western Ghats Task Force constituted by the State Government would recommend to the Centre to declare the Kodachadri forests as an Ecologically Sensitive Area, Task Force member Keshav Korse said.

Ramachandra Bhatta, a professor at Fisheries College, made a presentation on the proposal.

He said the proposal had been sent to the Centre in May 2006. KESA would encompass Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga, Chikmaglur and parts of Uttara Kannada districts. He said it met 12 out of 13 criteria specified by the MoEF for the notification of an ESA, and was awaiting notification.

Activist Vidya Dinker suggested that the boundaries of the proposed KESA be extended southwards to cover the area that was endangered by the notification of Phase II of the Mangalore Special Economic Zone.

Member of the expert panel Vidya Nayak was present.