NGT asks MoEFCC to finalise deadline for declaring western ghats an eco-sensitive zone

During hearing of a case related to construction activities in Bramhagiri Hills in Nashik on July 29, the western zonal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) to finalise a deadline for declaring the western ghats an eco-sensitive zone. Furthermore, the NGT has disposed of all cases related to Bramhagiri Hills in Nashik.

In July 2022, the MoEFCC had issued a draft notification on the western ghats as an eco-sensitive zone to protect the rich biodiversity of these ghats spread across six states namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In the draft notification, Bramhagiri Hills was included as an eco-sensitive zone but the draft is yet to be finalised. The recommendation was first made in 2011 by eminent environmentalist Madhav Gadgil. In March 2024, a committee visited Pune and held a scientific discussion with scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

Lalita Shinde, a resident of Nashik, through advocates Lakshyaved Odhekar and Indrayani Patani in September 2023 filed a complaint about construction activities in Bramhagiri Hills causing serious environmental damage. Accepting the case, the court appointed a joint committee in January 2024 and asked it to submit a report on construction activities in Bramhagiri Hills. The report submitted by the joint committee in March 2024 stated that the 2022 draft notification issued by the MoEFCC is yet to be finalised and hence, the said area is still to get the status of an eco-sensitive zone. Necessary permissions have been obtained for the construction activities which cannot be therefore classified as illegal, Odhekar said.

The NGT order in this regard states that the tribunal is of the opinion that the report filed by the joint committee is correct and there is no reason to not believe its contents. However, the applicant has demanded that necessary directions be issued to the concerned respondents to fix a timeline to finalise the draft notification on the western ghats so that Bramhagiri Hills can be saved. The order states that the tribunal holds the same view and hence expects the concerned authorities, especially the MoEFCC, to pay attention to it and try to finalise the same at the earliest.

The western ghats are the second most landslide-prone region of the country after the Himalayas. Absence of eco-sensitive zone cover for the western ghats has resulted in the continuation of environmentally hazardous human activities, including massive deforestation for mining and construction over the years leading to loosening of soil and instability of the hills. Therefore, conservationists have demanded that the western ghats be declared an eco-sensitive zone as soon as possible to contain further environmental damage.