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Karnataka and the Kasturirangan Report: Do Not Reject the Whole ESA Framework
खबर में क्यों?
Which panel wanted 37 per cent of the Western Ghats as ESA? Kasturirangan versus Gadgil, explained for GS-III
A commentary urges Karnataka not to reject the whole ESA framework for the Western Ghats.
Why it matters: asked in KPSC 2024; Karnataka-specific
What you need to know
2 मिनट
Commentary on Karnataka's stand on the Kasturirangan Report urges the State not to reject the entire framework of ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats.
The High Level Working Group headed by K.
Kasturirangan had proposed about 37 per cent of the Western Ghats as ESA, while the earlier Gadgil panel had proposed a wider approach.
The Karnataka Assembly recently rejected the seventh draft ESA notification.
स्रोत: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
मुख्य तथ्य
Remember these
- The High Level Working Group headed by K. Kasturirangan proposed about 37 per cent of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive area (ESA).
- The earlier Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Madhav Gadgil took a wider approach, treating the whole Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive, in three zones.
- The Karnataka Assembly recently rejected the seventh draft ESA notification.
- The commentary urges Karnataka not to reject the entire ESA framework for the Western Ghats.
प्रीलिम्स · मेन्स
How the exam will ask it
प्रीलिम्स
- The Kasturirangan High Level Working Group recommended about 37 per cent of the Western Ghats area as ecologically sensitive area.
- The Gadgil panel proposed the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive, divided into three zones, which is wider than the Kasturirangan approach.
- ESA notifications are draft proposals that States can contest, as Karnataka did with the seventh draft.
मेन्स
GS-III Environment and Karnataka issues: the Western Ghats face pressure from mining, quarrying and infrastructure, and the Gadgil and Kasturirangan reports offered two different ESA approaches, the second narrower at about 37 per cent. Karnataka's Assembly rejected the seventh draft ESA notification, reflecting concerns over livelihoods and development. The way forward is to keep the ESA framework while negotiating boundaries with local communities, using village-level consultation and science-based mapping.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the K. Kasturirangan Committee? a) The Committee was set up in 2022. b) It was set up to study the status of important ecological areas in the Western Ghats. c) The Karnataka Government accepted the Kasturirangan Committee report in September 2024.
- a, b and c are correct
- only c is correct
- only b is correct
- only a and b are correct
उत्तर देखें
उत्तर: C
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to the Western Ghats, consider the following statements:
- The High Level Working Group headed by K. Kasturirangan recommended about 37 per cent of the Western Ghats area as ecologically sensitive area.
- The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Madhav Gadgil recommended that only about 37 per cent of the Western Ghats be treated as ecologically sensitive.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
उत्तर देखें
उत्तर: A — Correct: 1 only — Statement 1 is correct, while statement 2 is false because the Gadgil panel proposed the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive, in three zones. • 2 only — wrong: 2 only is wrong since statement 2 is false: the Gadgil panel's approach was wider than 37 per cent. • Both 1 and 2 — wrong: Both cannot be correct because statement 2 wrongly assigns the 37 per cent figure to the Gadgil panel. • Neither 1 nor 2 — wrong: Neither cannot be correct since statement 1 correctly records the Kasturirangan recommendation.
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