WESTERN GHATS: STATES’ SUBMISSION ON ESAS TO CENTRE’S COMMITTEE BASED ON OLD SURVEYS

Why in the news?

The Centre’s expert panel, tasked with determining the extent of eco-sensitive areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats, has received submissions from states based on outdated ground-truthing surveys, raising questions about the reports’ accuracy.

WESTERN GHATS: STATES' SUBMISSION ON ESAS TO CENTRE'S COMMITTEE BASED ON OLD SURVEYS - UPSC

Submissions and Concerns

  • Extent of ESAs: The Western Ghats’ ESAs cover 56,825 square kilometres and prohibit mining, thermal power plants, and development.
  • Old Surveys: The states’ submissions are based on surveys done between 2013 and 2018, with some areas possibly requiring revisions owing to changes in land use and environmental circumstances.

About the ESAs

  • To safeguard biodiversity in ecologically significant regions, MoEF&CC alerts Ecologically Sensitive regions (ESA)—areas with distinct biological resources that need extra care to ensure their preservation.
  • In addition, the MoEFCC designates Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) surrounding Protected Areas in order to manage and maintain biodiversity.

These zones have acted as “shock absorbers” for wildlife moving from highly protected areas to less protected areas since 2002, providing additional protection for the species.