<p>Environment and forest ministers from six Western Ghats states will meet Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar here on Tuesday to identify the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in these six states, where developmental activities would be regulated.<br /><br />“The meeting will review the progress of physical demarcation of the ESA in the Western Ghats, and discuss further course of action for the range's protection and conservation,” said the Ministry of Environment and Forest in a statement.<br /><br />In March 2014, the Centre issued a draft notification on ESA in the Western Ghats based on the report of an expert panel headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan.<br /><br />While the report includes 123 Kerala villages inside the ESA, the state raised objections, carried out its own assessment, and proposed a new boundary line for the ESA.<br /><br />As a result, the draft notification declares 9,993.7 sq km as the ESA, compared to 13,108 sq km recommended by the Kasturirangan panel. The total ESA, therefore, was reduced to 56,825 sq km from the original proposal of 59,940 sq km.<br /><br />Subsequently, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest asked other Western Ghats states to conduct their own surveys by June 30, before the draft notification is finalised. <br />The main focus of the meeting, said an official, would be to conserve the region's biodiversity, while providing adequate opportunities to locals for livelihood security, with special emphasis on “socially inclusive” development.</p>.<p><br />The Western Ghats are a global biodiversity hotspot and a treasure trove of biological diversity, harbouring many endemic species of flowering plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates. However, the area also supports a population of approximately 5 crore people, and also includes areas with high human population density.<br /></p>
<p>Environment and forest ministers from six Western Ghats states will meet Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar here on Tuesday to identify the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in these six states, where developmental activities would be regulated.<br /><br />“The meeting will review the progress of physical demarcation of the ESA in the Western Ghats, and discuss further course of action for the range's protection and conservation,” said the Ministry of Environment and Forest in a statement.<br /><br />In March 2014, the Centre issued a draft notification on ESA in the Western Ghats based on the report of an expert panel headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan.<br /><br />While the report includes 123 Kerala villages inside the ESA, the state raised objections, carried out its own assessment, and proposed a new boundary line for the ESA.<br /><br />As a result, the draft notification declares 9,993.7 sq km as the ESA, compared to 13,108 sq km recommended by the Kasturirangan panel. The total ESA, therefore, was reduced to 56,825 sq km from the original proposal of 59,940 sq km.<br /><br />Subsequently, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest asked other Western Ghats states to conduct their own surveys by June 30, before the draft notification is finalised. <br />The main focus of the meeting, said an official, would be to conserve the region's biodiversity, while providing adequate opportunities to locals for livelihood security, with special emphasis on “socially inclusive” development.</p>.<p><br />The Western Ghats are a global biodiversity hotspot and a treasure trove of biological diversity, harbouring many endemic species of flowering plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates. However, the area also supports a population of approximately 5 crore people, and also includes areas with high human population density.<br /></p>
