Won’t proceed with Gadgil report, Centre tells NGT

“That the HLWG report is a subsequent report to the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) and that the Ministry is examining and further processing the HLWG report. As such, the Ministry is not processing the WGEEP report for any further actions,” stated the affidavit submitted before NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar. Gadgil’s report is also called WGEEP report.

The Centre had been inviting strictures from the NGT for dragging its feet on taking a final call on the fate of environmentalist Madhav Gadgil’s report on Western Ghats. In its report submitted to the MoEF in August 2011, the Gadgil Committee had designated the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive area. It recommended notification of nearly 3/4th of Western Ghats into ecologically sensitive zone, restricting all development activities.

However, under severe opposition from states where Western Ghats fall, the UPA government formed a HLWG, headed by Prof K Kasturirangan.

This panel in 2013 recommended that only 37 per cent of area should be declared as ecologically sensitive, while simultaneously prescribing for prohibiting certain commercial activities like mining and thermal power generation.

The UPA government had in October 2013 issued a notification giving in-principle approval to implement Kasturirangan Committee report, but refrained from execution, fearing possible political repercussions, and left the final decision on the next government.

While the NDA government sought to buy time in choosing between the reports, the NGT came down heavily on them for creating a state of flux and not clarify whether Gadgil or not report has been rejected.

The NGT was hearing a petition by Goa Foundation, which has asked for implementation of Gadgil report, besides questioning the March 10 draft notification issued by the previous government approving Kasturirangan report.