The Centre has issued a draft notification to designate over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA), including 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, which encompasses 13 villages in landslide-hit Wayanad. The Government has invited suggestions and objections within 60 days.
The notification which proposes banning mining, quarrying, new thermal power projects, and large-scale construction in these areas, while allowing repairs and renovations of existing structures was issued on July 31, a day after a series of landslides claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad district.
Existing healthcare facilities and property ownership changes will be unaffected. The move follows the 2011 recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel led by Madhav Gadgil.
Overall, the notification includes 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala in the proposed ESA.