Mapping of the two districts of the Western Ghats shows many of the proposed ESAs overlap with notified forests, protected areas or existing ESZs

Amid the cacophony surrounding the Western Ghats and the measures being proposed to preserve it, Paani Earth Foundation, a civic initiative, has taken apart the Centre’s draft notification on the proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in the Western Ghats.

The foundation approached two districts, Kodagu and Udupi, and mapped the proposed ESA villages using spatial layers for administrative boundaries from the Karnataka Geographic Information System (KGIS) to understand them in the context of the landscape and the existing layers of legal protection.

This was even after the Karnataka legislature on September 22 unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the K. Kasturirangan committee report on the Western Ghats in its current form, in response to a proposal released on July 27.

The foundation’s report begins by clarifying that the ESA announcement is not identical to the Kasturirangan report. “The Kasturirangan High Level Working Group (HLWG) submitted its report in 2013. It identified and demarcated the villages proposed as ESAs. The ESA notification includes some restrictions recommended by the HLWG… The boundaries of the ESA villages come from the Kasturirangan report,” he says. But many of his other recommendations were not included.

These include incentives for growers to switch to organic farming, financial benefits for ESA villages, local community ownership and benefits in tourism-related activities, a stronger role for Gram Sabhas and communities, and greater environmental scrutiny of development projects.

Looking at the extent of areas covered under the two districts in the ESA notification, 54 villages in Kodagu have been proposed as ESAs. “Our mapping shows that about 70.8% of the proposed ESA area in Kodagu overlaps with notified forests, protected areas or existing ESZs, while 30% lies outside these three existing protection layers. The 30% area that is included in the ESA does not itself constitute notified forests, protected areas or ESZs,” he says.

The report states that many streams originate or flow within the proposed ESA landscape, feeding rivers flowing east into the Cauvery system and west through the Kumaradhara, Payaswini and Barapole/Valapattanam systems towards the Arabian Sea. “Kodagu is therefore an important headwater landscape, both for water in the district and for the river systems flowing beyond it,” he added.

Similarly, 35 villages have been proposed as ESAs in Udupi. “Our mapping shows that about 82% of the proposed ESAs already overlap with notified forests, protected areas or existing eco-sensitive zones. ~18% lie outside these three existing protection layers. The proposed ESAs have a dense network of headwaters that feed west-flowing Udupi rivers, including the Sita, Chakra and Varahi, which carry water from marine rivers in the ESA to the Udupiian rivers. The villages are important for water within the district and for the river systems that flow beyond it and support towns and villages downstream,” it states.

What is allowed and what is not?

The Karnataka government argued that the ESA should only apply to notified forest areas and other forest areas and should not include plantations, agricultural and horticultural fields or residential and public areas. She also expressed concern about possible restrictions on agriculture, housing and daily activities.

But the Paani report argues that the inclusion of a village in the proposed ESA does not by itself convert all the land in that village to forest land. “The existing land status, records and applicable laws continue to apply. The seventh draft of the ESA notification specifically states that there will be no displacement or movement of local people, agricultural and plantation activities will not be affected, property ownership will not be affected, existing residential buildings may be repaired or renovated according to applicable laws and regulations, and all existing health facilities may continue and the proposed primary health centers will be established,” it said.

What is completely prohibited is mining, quarrying and sand mining. Existing mines should be decommissioned within five years of final ESA notification or expiry of existing mining lease, whichever is earlier, no new thermal power plant projects or expansion of existing plants, no new red category industries or expansion of existing red category industries, no new or expanded projects with a built-up area of 20,000 m2 or more, no new or expanded projects of 10,000 or more 50 50 m2 m or more of built-up area will be allowed, he added.

The Foundation plans to expand these analyzes to other counties covered by the proposed ESA.

Published – 03 Oct 2026 22:01 IST