Abstract
Constituting the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), popularly known as the Gadgil Committee was a significant move of the Government of India in conserving the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats are known as the ‘hottest hot spot’ and a treasure trove of biodiversity. Considering the earlier reports and scientific writings, the Gadgil Committee report provided a handle to engage with the key issues relating to ecology and sustainable development in the region. It anticipated the targets that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) specifically signify on ecology. The report has an account of the rich diversity as well as the catastrophic ecological disaster awaiting the region. This paper attempts to trace the ecological concerns in the report and their bearing on the sustainable development goals. It also endeavours to analyse the different reactions and responses of the contiguous states vis-à-vis the idea of development which is an oft-repeated political slogan in India. This will also lead us to assess the nature and role of democratic dissent made with regard to such an ecologically sensitive concern and the challenges in achieving the goals of sustainable development enumerated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Needless to add that the recommendations of the Gadgil report and the response it has invoked has wider implications and can be profitably compared to similar concerns in countries like Brazil.
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Species are endangered due to poaching, shrinkage of habitats, atmospheric pollution etc. Western Ghats are considered as the World’s second most vital forest for threatened species see Gandhi (The Hindu, Nov. 16 2013).
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The Himalayas and the Vindyas are the other two mountain ranges. They are covered with thick forests, which protect the soil and provide the rivers with an even flow of water.
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Many parts of Kerala and Karnataka that were affected by floods such as Idukki, Wayanad and Madikeri, were classified as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) by the Gadgil Committee.
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The Sen Committee proposed a series of species, ecosystem and geo-morphology based parameters to determine ecologically sensitive areas in India. Its foremost criterion for identification of an Ecologically Sensitive Area is endemism, and it stated that “the area of occurrence of every endemic species needs to be protected in its entirety”.
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Appiko means “to hug” in Kannada. Villagers embraced the trees to be felled by contractors of the forest department. The protest continued for 38 days and the agitation spread to other places, launching the movement in 8 areas covering the entire Sirsi forest division.
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(PESA), 1996, decentralized existing approaches to forest governance by propelling the Gram Sabha to the centre stage and recognized the traditional rights of tribal’s over “community resources”—land, water, and forests. PESA provided for a wide range of rights and privileges for the tribals and set principles as well as a basis for future law making concerning the tribals. The states were directed to promulgate their own laws to promote tribal’s rights over local resources.
- 7.
The Government of India enacted Panchayat Raj Extension to Scheduled Areas Act (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to empower tribal’s living in the forest to have an edge over minor forest produces and minerals. Several civil society organisations and non government organisations are working towards the appropriate implementation of PESA and FRA to promote dignity of life for tribal population. The FRA is responsible for the regime change from the forest administration to the rightful owners of forestland.
- 8.
The High Level Monitoring Committees lack regulatory powers, financial and human resources.
- 9.
Forest areas of natural vegetation preserved over generations on religious grounds.
- 10.
“I was dropped because I stood for Western Ghats Conservation”, Interview by Suchitra M., with P. T. Thomas in Down To Earth, 04 July 2015.
- 11.
Red category industries are heavily polluting industries like pesticides, petrochemicals etc.
- 12.
The policy clearly reiterated that the forests cannot be exploited for commercial purposes and should be conserved and used for subsistence needs of the forest dependent communities. The plantations should not be introduced in place of mixed forests and regeneration of natural forests must get precedence.
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Acknowledgements
I gratefully acknowledge the support and suggestions rendered by Professor Valerian Rodrigiues, Former Professor of Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
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D’Souza, R.V. (2020). India’s Emerging Ecological Public and the Western Ghats: The Gadgil Committee Report and the Responses of Contiguous States. In: Leal Filho, W., Tortato, U., Frankenberger, F. (eds) Universities and Sustainable Communities: Meeting the Goals of the Agenda 2030. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30306-8_25
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