Panel report on Ghat protection by March

Mangalore, February 16: The Western Ghats ecology expert panel, constituted by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the Western Ghats Task Force will publish the draft notification of the public consultation on ecologically sensitive areas of the Western Ghats by March end this year on its website.

Vidya Nayak, member of the expert panel, told media persons after the meeting here on Monday that after getting the required feedback, the final report will be submitted to MoEF by May or June this year. The expert panel was constituted in March last year.

The panel will assess the current status of the ecology of the Western Ghats region, demarcation of areas within the region to be notified as ecologically sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, as also to recommend modalities for establishment of the Western Ghats Ecology Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act.

Nayak said zones have to be demarcated in the ghats and modalities worked out so there is no conflict among stakeholders. The panel will hold public consultation at four places namely Sirsi, Mnagalore, Mysore and Sringeri, of which the first two have been completed as on Monday.

The expert group has to make recommendations for the conservation, protection and rejuvenation of the Western Ghats region following a comprehensive consultation process involving people and governments of all the states have to suggest measures for effective implementation of the notifications issued by the MoEF declaring specific areas in the Western Ghats as eco sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 among others.

It also has to recommend the modalities for the establishment of Western Ghats Ecology Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which will be a professional body to manage the ecology of the region and to ensure its sustainable development.