The Centre has issued a fifth draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala’s landslide-hit Wayanad, Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days.
The notification was issued on July 31, a day after a series of landslides in Wayanad district killed over 290 people.
- Read: Wayanad landslides: Which are the landslide-prone regions in India
The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, ecologically sensitive.
Overall, the notification includes 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala in the proposed ESA.
- Read:Kerala cannot accept Gadgil report on Western Ghats: CM
The draft notification suggests a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, with existing mines to be phased out within five years “from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease, whichever is earlier”.
It also prohibits new thermal power projects. Existing projects can continue to operate, but expansion is not allowed.
- Read: River diversion projects are totally undesirable, says ecologist Madhav Gadgil
Large-scale construction projects and townships are also prohibited, except for repairing and renovating existing buildings.