Complete survey on ESAs: DC

A survey on ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) identified by Kasturirangan committee will be conducted at the village -level and a report will be submitted to the district-level committee, said Deputy Commissioner B S Shekarappa.

Speaking at a one-day workshop on Monday, he said 146 villages in Western Ghats region have been identified by  High level Working Group of Western Ghats (HLWG) as ecologically sensitive areas. The village level committee will also view the natural landscape, farmlands, plantations and human habitations and will suggest balanced appropriate areas to be included in the ESA. The committee should collect public opinion on ESAs and collect objections to the ESAs from the public. After consulting the people, the committee will submit a detailed report, he said.

 To help the State level expert committee, a district -level committee headed by Deputy Commissioner has also been constituted. The district level committee will create awareness on conservation of Western Ghats.

The committee should clearly mention on the crops grown on the ecologically sensitive areas identified by the high-level committee. There is a need to create awareness on ESAs among the villagers.

The committee has banned quarry, setting up of thermal power plants and mega industries in the notified ecologically sensitive areas, the DC said.

Taluk level committee will have tahsildar, RFO and officers from agriculture and horticulture departments. The village level committee comprises of PDO, VA, officials form agriculture, horticulture and forest department.

ZP President Bhagya Ranganath, ZP CEO Priyanka Mary Francis, Additional DC M L Vaishali and others were present.