Western Ghats ESA Draft: Why Karnataka Objects
Why in News?
Recently, the Karnataka Legislature has unanimously rejected the seventh draft notification proposing parts of the Western Ghats in the state as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) under the Kasturirangan Committee recommendations.
The resolution, passed on 22 September 2026, seeks one year for a fresh physical survey before the ESA boundaries are finalized. Karnataka has argued that the present draft does not adequately distinguish between forests, agricultural land, plantations, and human settlements.
The latest draft, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 27 July 2026, proposes around 20,668 sq km across 1,449 villages in 10 Karnataka districts as ESA.
What is the Western Ghats ESA?
The Western Ghats are one of India’s major biodiversity-rich regions and extend across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. An Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) is a region where certain activities may be regulated or restricted to protect ecologically fragile ecosystems.
The proposed ESA framework seeks tighter controls over activities such as:
- Mining and quarrying
- Sand extraction
- Setting up highly polluting industries
- Large construction projects
- Certain infrastructure and development activities
At the same time, the objective is to balance environmental protection with the livelihood and development needs of local communities.
What is the Kasturirangan Committee Report?
The Kasturirangan Committee was constituted to examine the earlier recommendations of the Gadgil Committee on protecting the Western Ghats.
Its recommendations sought to identify ecologically important areas while following a relatively more focused approach to conservation.
The committee proposed identifying about 37% of the Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive natural landscape. The approach also differentiated between natural landscapes and areas already heavily influenced by human activity.
How Much Area of Karnataka Is Proposed as ESA?
Under the latest draft notification:
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Proposed ESA in Karnataka | 20,668 sq km |
| Villages covered | 1,449 |
| Districts covered | 10 |
| Total Western Ghats ESA draft | 56,825.7 sq km |
| States covered | 6 |
Karnataka accounts for a substantial share of the proposed ESA area in the Western Ghats.
Why is Karnataka opposing the ESA draft?
1. Concern Over Satellite-Based Demarcation
Karnataka has argued that the proposed boundaries rely heavily on satellite-based mapping and may not accurately distinguish forests from:
- Agricultural land
- Plantations
- Residential areas
- Public facilities
- Other developed areas
The state is therefore seeking a plot-level physical survey before finalizing the boundaries.
2. Impact on Agriculture and Plantations
A major concern is that ESA restrictions could affect people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture, horticulture, and plantations.
Karnataka has therefore argued that cultivated and inhabited areas should not automatically be brought within the ESA merely because they fall within a larger mapped area.
3. Entire Villages Under ESA
The state has particularly questioned the approach of including an entire village as ESA merely because a portion of its area is classified as forest.
Karnataka's legislature described this approach as requiring further scientific and ground-level verification.
4. Concerns Over Housing and Local Development
Karnataka has also raised concerns about possible effects on:
- Housing and renovation
- Roads and infrastructure
- Local economic activities
- Public facilities
- Day-to-day activities of communities
The state argues that conservation measures should be designed in a way that does not unnecessarily affect settled areas.
Kasturirangan vs Gadgil: What is the Difference?
| Basis | Gadgil Committee | Kasturirangan Committee |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Broader ecological protection | More focused identification of sensitive areas |
| Key focus | Entire Western Ghats ecosystem | Natural landscapes considered more ecologically important |
| Human settlements | Greater emphasis on ecological sensitivity | Greater differentiation between natural and cultural landscapes |
| Development | More extensive restrictions proposed | More targeted regulation |
| Current relevance | Earlier framework | Basis of the present ESA draft |
What Has Karnataka Proposed?
Instead of accepting the present draft, Karnataka has sought:
- One year for a fresh physical survey.
- Plot-level identification of forests and other land uses.
- Exclusion of agricultural, plantation, and inhabited areas where appropriate.
- Review of the ESA boundaries using ground-level information.
- A committee involving officials, experts, and other stakeholders to examine the concerns.
The state has also proposed using more detailed mapping technologies to distinguish forest areas from farms and settlements.
Why Is the Issue Important?
- The Karnataka-Western Ghats debate reflects a larger challenge in environmental governance: how to protect ecologically fragile regions while safeguarding the livelihoods of people living in them.
- The Western Ghats require strong conservation because of their biodiversity and ecological importance. At the same time, the region is densely inhabited and supports agriculture, plantations, and local economies.
- Therefore, the key issue is not simply development versus conservation, but how ESA boundaries and restrictions can be based on accurate ground-level data, scientific assessment, and local realities.
Way Forward
A balanced approach could focus on:
- Scientific and plot-level mapping of ESA boundaries.
- Clear separation of forests, farms, plantations, and settlements.
- Greater participation of local communities.
- Stronger monitoring of genuinely harmful activities.
- Protection of biodiversity without unnecessarily disrupting existing livelihoods.
- Regular review of ESA boundaries based on reliable ground data.
Conclusion
The Karnataka ESA issue highlights the conflict between environmental conservation, federal consultation, land-use planning, and livelihood security. It is therefore relevant to questions on the Western Ghats, biodiversity conservation, environmental impact assessment, center-state relations, and sustainable development.
