The Government has called for widest possible consultations with Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies on preserving the Western Ghats. Speaking after chairing a meeting with MPs from Western Ghats region here today, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Anil Madhav Dave called for maintaining a balance between ecology and development. The door is open for all noble ideas”, the Environment Minister said. Shri Dave said that said that villagers and tribals living in the region must have access to infrastructure – roads, power and drinking water. He emphasised that different states have problems of a different nature and have to be addressed as such. The Environment Minister also said that the Draft notification is likely to be finalized within six months.
The Ministry had published a Draft notification for declaring Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) of Western Ghats, on September 4, 2015, with the objective to conserve and protect the unique biodiversity of Western Ghats. MPs from Western Ghats region (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Gujarat and Kerala) and senior officers of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change participated in the meeting. The MPs who attended the meeting included Shri Sharad Pawar, Shri Shashi Tharoor, Shri Tiruchi Siva, Sh K.S Prasad, Dr.A Sampanth, Shri K Soma Prasad, Shri Vinayak Bhaurau Raut, Smt. P.K Shrimati Teacher, among others.