Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said that the decision on eco fragile Western Ghats would be taken keeping in minds the delicate balance between ecology and development that include the widest possible consultations, with stakeholders from all sections, including the local persons.
In an informal meet with the Press on Friday, he pointed out that different States have varying problems, which have to be dealt on case basis. He pointed out that even villagers and tribals living in the region must have access to infrastructure including roads, power and drinking water, indicating that the balance has to be worked out accordingly in different States.
Dave however said that the Draft notification is likely to be finalised within six months. Earlier, the Ministry had published a Draft notification for declaring Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) of Western Ghats, on September 4, 2015, with the objective to conserve and protect the unique biodiversity of Western Ghats.
Regarding the controversy on Genetically Modified crops, Dave maintained the stand of his predecessor Prakash Javadekar saying that the ministry will take full time and listen to all sides before taking a final call. "But one cannot stop science either. Experts are working on it for over a decade and the genuine safety concerns are being examined carefully," he said.
On the concerns of Ganga cleaning under Namami Gange programme, Dave said its efficacy largely depends on the implementation of the existing laws at the ground level and nabbing the polluters. He informed that preparation of action plan for sewage management and restoration of water quality in aquatic resources are afoot by the concerned State Governments. While Maharashtra tops the list with 49 polluted stretches along the river, there are 21 in Madhya Pradesh, followed by 20 in Gujarat and 13 in Uttar Pradesh.
There is also installation of Online Effluent Monitoring System to check the discharge of effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies besides setting up of monitoring network for assessment of quality of water.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, on the occasion of World Elephant Day, Dave urged the students to be sensitive towards wild animals and the elephant, in particular and shun use of ivory products and other products made from animal parts. The Minister informed that the trunk of an elephant is extremely sensitive and can even lift a needle and on the other hand has the strength to lift heavy logs of wood.