Centre Govt. bans development projects in Western Ghats
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, Nov 15, 2013: Aiming to protect a global biodiversity hotspot, the Centre on Wednesday issued directions to six state governments, banning development activities including mining and quarrying in 60,000 sq km of the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests, in an order issued to Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat, said: “Directions will come into force with immediate effect and remain in force until further orders.”
According to the direction, mining, quarrying, sand mining, development of thermal power plants, building and construction projects over an area of 20,000 sq metre or more, township and area development projects over 50 hectare or more or those with a built-up area of 1,50,000 sq metre or more would not be allowed.
The ministry also banned all red-category industries which were causing heavy pollution. It said if such industries existed in the area, they should be closed immediately.
“In case of any violation, appropriate legal action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, shall be taken,” said the order. The ministry said it would soon constitute a high-level committee to monitor implementation of the Kasturirangan Committee report in a time-bound manner.
The ministry also named areas with villages in the six states where the ban is applicable.
The government said it accepted a report on the Western Ghats, prepared by a committee led by Planning Commission member and space scientist K Kasturirangan. It had recommended prohibition on development activities in 37 per cent of the natural landscape.
The Kasturirangan Committee had recommended a “non-tolerance policy” with respect to highly interventionist and environmentally damaging activities like mining or polluting industries in the natural landscape of the Western Ghats, “which is under unprecedented threats” due to mining and urbanisation.
The report said approximately 60 per cent of the Western Ghats region was “cultural landscape,” which included human settlements, agriculture and plantations (other than forest plantations) and around 40 per cent was under “natural landscape.”
Courtesy: DHNS