kasturirangan report

kasturirangan report.........

1. BY NITHIN KB Kasturirangan report

2. Western Ghats on the fringes of the west coast of India. Extending-1500-1600 km. average elevation < 600 m. Six States viz . Gujarat , Maharashtra , Goa, Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu. home for 50 million people . source of water for entire Peninsular India. influences monsoons. retains only 7 % of original forest cover. world’s hottest hotspots of biodiversity.

3. Background and Constitution of HLWG increasing population-degradation ecological sensitivity and significance of the region& possible impacts of climate change. MoEF of Union Constituted MADHAV GADGIL COMMITTEE(WGEEP report) to study. Later, a High-Level Working Committee under Kasturirangan appointed by Union -to review the report.

4. examine WGEEP Report. suggest further course of action; other relevant matters to be considered. submission of Action Plan to implement WGEEP Report. submitted 490 page report to environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan on April 16,2013. Aim

5. REPORT Of the total area 60 % - cultural landscape – human dominated land settlements, agriculture & plantations. 40 % of land-natural landscape. biologically rich area- 37 %. Govt. to notify ESA -Economically sensitive areas Areas with low fragmentation & population density ,Protected Areas (PAs), World Heritage Sites (WHSs) & Tiger & Elephant corridors.

6. Landscape division

7. Threats by development projects & urban growth. suggests high level of scrutiny and assessment. To facilitate sustainable development in the WG region, inhabited by about 50 million people, the non ESA ( mostly cultural landscape )well demarcated. The need for urgent action.

8. development restrictions- notified area put ESA map in the public domain prohibitory and regulatory regime in ESA for activities other infrastructure development activities, necessary for region be carefully before clearance. complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in ESA. No thermal power projects to be allowed in ESA .

9. Hydropower projects may be allowed subject to conditions. ‘ Red’ category industries strictly banned . Building and construction projects of 20,000 m2 and above should not be allowed . Townships and area development projects to be prohibited . The villages falling under ESA will be involved in decision making on the future projects. All projects will require prior-informed consent and no- objection from the Gram Sabha of the village.

10. WG States to come together to negotiate for a grant-in aid from the Centre. to promote sustainable tourism The tourism policy for Ecologically Sensitive Area of the Western Ghats must provide local community ownership and benefits . be monitored for compliance with environmental conditions and development restrictions and assessed in terms of impact.

11. CRITICAL EVALUATION According to National Forest Policy  the minimum forest cover in hilly areas is to be 66 % . Not complied. the HLWG’s recommendations are final ; no scope for discussion at grass root level. The ESA proposed based mainly on the distribution of flora & nothing on fauna ( rarity, endemism or abundance), apart from elephant and tiger corridors. wildlife habitats not included in demarcation of ESA . the HLWG has not considered the principles and practices in ecology

12. opened up almost 2/3 rd of WG for development with no strict checks and balances . Demarcation based on Talukas (having more than 20% of its area above 600 m is considered WG). these are not natural units. parameters which are natural, namely altitude and vegetation should have been considered for demarcation . HLWG has not mentioned on protection of sacred groves. freshwater biodiversity is even under greater threat than forest biodiversity.

13. Sector level planning in the ESA     Mining , quarrying and sand mining   Conversion of agricultural land Forestry Larger dams Power Water Conservation Agriculture Incentives to farmers Roads & Railway lines Industries Vital issues not mentioned

14. AGAINST HLWG The LDF and High Range Protection Committee Former Chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board , V S Vijayan , report was not legally maintainable. Criticising the NDA government for deciding to pursue Kasturirangan Report instead of the Gadgil’s Report, the science movement activists , who spoke at the convention maintained that the NDA had gone back on its promise given to the public before the election that it would support the Gadgil committee report if it came to power . Farmers strongly oppose the panel report.

15. Members of Parliament from Kerala, along with other MPs, protest against the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats, at Parliament House in New Delhi.

16. CONCLUSION In a State like Kerala facing severe ecological problems, such a move will lead to disastrous consequences. The development and conservation should go hand-in- hand, in a totally democratic and transparent way. The politicians are creating a chaos. Protection of nature is not the sole responsibility of environmental agencies. Each human being has a responsibility to do so.

17. THANKYOU