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Western Ghats
A panel of the Union Environment Ministry has said that site visits should be conducted "in toto" before granting environmental clearances to pumped storage projects (PSPs) in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats. During a meeting of the ministry's Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on September 27, the member secretary stated that the ministry had granted Terms of Reference (ToR) -- which outlines the environmental studies a project must complete before applying for clearance -- to approximately 15 projects in the Western Ghats. "The EAC reviewed the Terms of Reference recommended to the PSPs proposed to be located in Western Ghats... Given the region's high environmental sensitivity, the EAC, in previous meetings, recommended site visits by sub-committee members to several pumped storage projects. "These projects are located in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats and a huge forest area is also involved. The EAC emphasised that, prior to granting environmental clearance or ...
The Centre has issued a fresh draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days. The notification, issued on July 31, came a day after a series of landslides claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad district. Scientists from Kerala and beyond attribute the disaster to a deadly mix of forest cover loss, mining in the fragile terrain and climate change. The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, as ecologically sensitive. These villages are Periya, Thirunelli, Thondernad, Thrissilery, Kidanganad and Noolpuzha in Mananthavady taluka, and Achooranam, Chundel, Kottappadi, Kunnathidavaka, Pozhuthana, Thariyod and Vellarimala in Vythiri taluka. The July 30 landslides affected Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamal
The Congress on Friday accused the Centre of delay in declaring the ecologically sensitive area' tag for a portion of the Western Ghats and claimed that it is directly responsible for the human tragedy in Wayanad. The opposition party's attack came after the Centre issued a fresh draft notification to declare more than 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days. The notification, issued on July 31, came a day after a series of landslides claimed more than 300 lives in Wayanad district. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh recalled that on August 5, 2019, during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he had raised the Issue of the protection of the Western Ghats. Only on July 31, 2024, following the Wayanad catastrophe, does the Union government seem to have finally moved to declare some 57,000 squ
The National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to pass appropriate orders in a matter related to unauthorised brick kilns exploiting the Western Ghat region leading to ecological damage. On its own, the tribunal had initiated action on the issue. Since there was no provision to regulate the activities of such units and to prevent ecological damage, the NGT-SZ had taken congnizance based on a Tamil daily's reportage on April 14, 2021. Subsequently, proceedings were initiated by the state Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as well as the mining authorities. Following a hearing on the matter, in its order on Tuesday, the tribunal referred to the Board's report on determination of compensation. Environmental compensation was fixed for the brick kiln units in five specific villages as per a Central Pollution Control Board formula. It was to recover compensation for the damages caused to the environment by the brick kiln units under the "Pol