The report of the Western Ghats ecology panel (Gadgil panel) is an attempt to replace the prevailing system of ‘develop recklessly, conserve thoughtlessly’ with that of ‘develop sustainably, conserve thoughtfully,’ said Dr V S Vijayan, member of the panel, speaking about report on Tuesday.
Dismissing allegations that the Gadgil report is anti-farmers and anti-development, Vijayan said the report was, in fact, the opposite. “The report says organic farming should be encouraged. We don’t say buildings should not be constructed. We only want them built in an environment-friendly manner.”
The report says that more than 28 crore people from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa are dependent on the Western Ghats for water, which is fast depleting due to illegal activities.
(Published 16 July 2013, 20:30 IST)
JOIN US