Oppn to WGEEP report due to 'inconvenient truths': Gadgil

"WGEEP recommendations are offered as a starting point for a democratic decision making process as an attempt of exclusionary conservation. We decided to state facts without considering whether they were convenient or inconvenient to people. Unless we accept the reality, we cannot go forward," he said.

He was delivering the keynote address at the three-day International Law Conference on Conservation of Forests, Wildlife and Ecology" at Kerala Law Academy here.

The report has been opposed by many states, including Kerala, which holds many recommendations as unrealistic.

Justifying its recommendation to demarcate environment sensitive zones, he said WGEEP advocated the graded or layered approach after taking into account local, ecological and social contexts within the broad framework of ESZ1, ESZ2 and SZ3.

He said WGEEP felt it was inappropriate to depend exclusively on government agencies for constitution and management of ESZs.

On opposition of Catholic Church in Kerala to the report, Gadgil said he failed to understand why it was so as both parties are for the same cause of conserving the environment.

Gadgil said one of the most serious problem facing the country today in terms of biodiversity conservation is not the absence of laws but their proper implementation.

"Good information should be collected and grassroot level discussions should be held before formulating environment policies and regulations. The information collected should be reached to public," he said.

He also alleged that some vested interests had tried to suppress the report.

Inaugurating the conference, Supreme Court judge Justice A K Patnaik said development should not be achieved at the cost of environment and stressed the need for an independent regulatory system to ensure and monitor the conservation of biodiversity in the country.