Madikeri: The Union govt’s seventh draft notification on the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Western Ghats proposes to designate 20,668sqkm as an ESZ. Karnataka accounts for the largest share of the area among the six states covered under the proposal.The draft proposes the inclusion of several villages in the Western Ghats region across Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The official list, published district-wise, taluk-wise and village-wise, identifies 53 villages in Kodagu district.The govt has issued the draft notification with the aim of finalising 56,825.7sqkm of the Western Ghats as an Eco-Sensitive Zone. Objections and suggestions have been invited from the public and other stakeholders within two months of the notification. The sixth draft notification was published in 2024.The proposal seeks to impose strict restrictions on mining activities, the establishment of thermal power plants, red-category industries, large-scale construction projects, and town and area development projects within the eco-sensitive zone. However, orange and white category industries, including hydropower projects, have been permitted under the prescribed rules. The conversion of forest land for non-forest purposes will also be regulated. The govt plans to establish a special mechanism to monitor the implementation of these regulations.The first draft notification for the Eco-Sensitive Zone in the Western Ghats was published on March 10, 2014. Subsequently, revised draft notifications were issued in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024. Experts believe that the final notification has been delayed due to a lack of consensus between the Centre and the state govt.
