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No curbs on businesses in Western Ghats

Last Updated 07 July 2015, 20:44 IST

Business and developmental activities will be allowed to continue and grow in the ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) of the Western Ghats, but there will be restrictions on big industries and large-scale mining.

“There will be no danger to livelihood (for people living in the ESAs) and no restriction on business, growth and developmental projects.”

“ The only restriction will be on commercial mining and polluting industries,” said Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday after meeting ministers and officials from the six Western Ghats states. However, Karnataka went one step ahead to demand removal of restriction on expansion of functional power plants in the Western Ghats, and only state-level green clearance for projects located within 10 km of an ESA, transcending a 2006 government order.

Three state ministers, including Karnataka's Ramanath Rai, attended the meeting that took stock of the progress the states made in surveying villages that would fall under the ESA.
In March 2014, the Centre had issued a draft notification on ESAs in the Western Ghats based on the report of an expert panel headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan.
Many states objected to the ESA boundaries and the panels' recommendations, arguing that it would hamper the states' right to development.

Javadekar said the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest would finalise by August a draft bill to seal the future of close to 4,000 villages in the six states. The ministry is legally bound to finalise the notification by September 9, 2015 — 18 months from the day of issuing the draft notification on March 10, 2014.

Rai also demanded a financial package for the villagers in the Western Ghats, promotion of eco-tourism and regulation of construction activities as per the 2006 environmental impact assessment (EIA) norms without any additional conditions imposed by the Kasturirangan panel.

The committee, on the other hand, recommended a prohibitory and regulatory regime in the ESA, suggesting careful scrutiny of all infrastructure projects and development activities for their cumulative impact and development needs before clearance.

The high-level panel also suggested that every infrastructure and development projects take green clearance under Category A projects under the EIA Notification, which needs Central approval. This has been opposed by Karnataka.

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(Published 07 July 2015, 20:44 IST)

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