Team Herald
PANJIM: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has filed an additional affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi where it has requested that the deadline of December 31, 2021 for notifying Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) in the Western Ghats be extended. This is in connection with a petition filed by Goa Foundation (GF).
The NGT has been pulling up MoEFCC repeatedly over the last decade for delaying the finalisation of ESZ and had restrained six States that fall in the region, including Goa, from giving environmental clearance to activities which may adversely affect the ESZ of these areas, given the serious stress to the ecology of the Western Ghats.
While MoEFCC’s draft notification had identified 56,825 sq kms as ecologically sensitive area (ESA), the ministry said to bring additional area as proposed under ESA, a fresh draft notification is required so as to seek public comments.
MoEFCC said the feasibility of either issuing a draft notification of an area of 14,123.69 square kms (additional areas proposed by the States) or issuing a fresh combined and a comprehensive notification is being examined.
The ministry added that the draft notification in respect of this inclusion has not been issued and therefore, public comments have not been obtained in respect of such additional areas as yet.
The Ministry added their directions prohibiting five activities in the total area of 56,825.7 sq kms as reflected in the draft notification are still operative. These include mining, quarrying, sand mining as well as thermal power plants, mega construction, township and area development projects and finally red category of industries.
