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Karnataka and the Kasturirangan Report on the Western Ghats
വാർത്തയിൽ എന്തുകൊണ്ട്?
Which earlier panel did Kasturirangan review? The Western Ghats ESA question GS-III Environment keeps returning to
Karnataka's stand on Western Ghats ESAs is debated, with a call not to reject the framework outright.
Why it matters: asked in KPSC 2024; factual, Prelims-type; Karnataka-specific
What you need to know
2 മിനിറ്റ്
Karnataka's position on ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats is in the news, with the argument that the State should not reject the entire framework.
The framework traces to the Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group, set up to examine the earlier Madhav Gadgil panel report.
The Ghats run through six States, including Karnataka, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
ഉറവിടങ്ങൾ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
പ്രധാന വസ്തുതകൾ
Remember these
- The Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group was set up to examine the Madhav Gadgil panel report (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel).
- The framework in question concerns Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats.
- The Western Ghats run through six States, including Karnataka.
- The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Karnataka's stand is debated, with the argument that the State should not reject the entire framework.
പ്രിലിംസ് · മെയിൻസ്
How the exam will ask it
പ്രിലിംസ്
- The Kasturirangan High Level Working Group was constituted to examine the report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Madhav Gadgil.
- The Western Ghats extend across six States, including Karnataka.
- The Western Ghats are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Ecologically Sensitive Areas are notified to restrict or regulate activities in ecologically fragile regions.
മെയിൻസ്
GS-III Environment (with Karnataka geography): the issue is balancing conservation of the Western Ghats with development and local livelihoods. The provision is the ESA framework traced to the Kasturirangan group's review of the Gadgil panel report, and its implication is a Centre-State and community tension over restrictions. The way forward is for States to engage with the framework, seeking consultative, locally tailored demarcation rather than rejecting it outright.
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
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: 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
The Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group on the Western Ghats was constituted to examine the report of which earlier panel?
- Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Madhav Gadgil
- Swaminathan Commission on farmers
- Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations
- Kothari Commission on education
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: A — Correct: Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Madhav Gadgil — The Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report was the one the Kasturirangan group was set up to review. • Swaminathan Commission on farmers — wrong: The Swaminathan Commission dealt with farmers' welfare, not the Western Ghats. • Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations — wrong: The Sarkaria Commission examined Centre-State relations, not ecology. • Kothari Commission on education — wrong: The Kothari Commission looked at education policy, not the Western Ghats.
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