Stretching from the Tapi Valley in Gujarat to the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, the Western Ghats are a magnificent mountain range forming an impenetrable natural wall along India’s western coast. This range, known as the Sahyadris in Maharashtra, crosses Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala making it one of the most significant ecological regions in the world. Its importance lies not only in its geographical grandeur but also in its unparalleled biodiversity, which has fascinated scientists and environmentalists for decades.
In 2012, UNESCO declared the Western Ghats a World Heritage Site, recognising its unique ecological significance. The region is home to 325 species listed as threatened in the IUCN Red Data List, including 229 plants, 31 mammals, 15 birds, 43 amphibians, 5 reptiles, and 1 fish. Alarmingly, 51 of these species are critically endangered. The Western Ghats’ status as a biodiversity hotspot underscores the urgent need for its conservation.
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In the 1980s and 1990s, researchers identified the Western Ghats as a region with high endemic species diversity. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global organisation focused on conservation, has consistently highlighted the increasing threats to this fragile ecosystem. Its 2020 World Heritage Outlook Report categorised the Western Ghats under “significant concern,” just one step away from the most critical status.
Development activities and human interference are visibly impacting the Western Ghats. Road construction, urban settlements, and deforestation have fragmented forest habitats, isolating species like the Indian sloth bear, whose population has dwindled due to restricted movement and habitat loss. Similarly, reptile species in Goa and the Sahyadri region are becoming increasingly rare due to changing environmental conditions.
Climate change compounds these threats, manifesting in cloudbursts, extended droughts, and unpredictable rainfall patterns. These rapid changes disrupt the delicate balance of the region’s ecosystems, leaving plants and animals unable to adapt. Reports indicate that approximately 10 plant species are no longer found in the Maharashtra belt of the Western Ghats, while landslides and flash floods, exacerbated by human interventions, have caused significant loss of life and property.
Recognising these issues, the Indian government commissioned the Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel under Dr Madhav Gadgil in 2010. The panel’s report proposed creating “Ecologically Sensitive Zones” (ESZs) covering over 60% of the Western Ghats to limit industrial and infrastructural projects. However, States criticised the recommendations as anti-development, and the central government hesitated to implement them.
Subsequently, the Kasturirangan Committee in 2014 reduced the ESZ coverage to 37%, balancing conservation needs with development goals. Yet, even this more moderate proposal faced resistance. Discussions continued, and in 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a new notification, designating 56,825 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). It proposed restrictions on industrial projects and infrastructure development in these zones.
While the notification emphasised sustainable and inclusive development for the region’s five crore inhabitants, State governments’ responses have been mixed. Karnataka’s government rejected the notification and announced further deliberations, Goa sought exclusions for 21 villages, and Maharashtra excluded Dodamarg’s dense forest from the ESA designation despite its ecological sensitivity.
The Western Ghats symbolise the critical balance between development and conservation. Their biodiversity supports not only ecological health but also the livelihoods of millions. Yet, the lack of stringent legal protections threatens their future. Without decisive action, we risk losing this irreplaceable natural treasure to the twin forces of human exploitation and climate change.
The Western Ghats stand at a crossroads. On one hand, they embody nature’s splendour and ecological wealth; on the other, they face relentless pressures from human activity and environmental changes. Protecting them requires a unified approach that prioritises conservation without ignoring the needs of local communities. The time to act is now, before the Western Ghats move from a state of “significant concern” to one of irreversible loss.
