Centre to go by Dr K. Kasturirangan panel report on Western Ghats dams construction issue
28 Aug 2014 9:14 AM IST
The stand comes within three months of the NDA government taking over
Mr Gadgil red-flagged the Gundia and Athirappilly hydroelectric projects. (Photo: DC/File)
NEW DELHI: In a significant move, the union government on Wednesday announced that it would not implement the controversial Madhav Gadgil report on Western Ghats that had recommended ban on the construction of some dams in Kerala and Karnataka, but would act according to the suggestions made by Dr K. Kasturirangan panel that also went into the same issue.
The government’s stand was articulated in an affidavit filed by the ministry of environment and forests before the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday which is hearing a petition filed by the Goa Foundation demanding implementation of the Gadgil committee report.
The stand comes within three months of the NDA government taking over the reins from the UPA, which dithered on the issue for several months.
“In paragraph ‘F’ of the affidavit, it has been stated that the ministry does not wish to process the WGEEP report, that is the Gadgil report, and would take subsequent actions only in relation to HLWG report, that is Dr. Kasturirangan report,” the tribunal headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said in its order.
Mr Gadgil in his report had recommended that nearly three-fourths of the Western Ghats be classified into ecologically sensitive zone and that development activities and building of dams should be prohibited. He had also red-flagged the Gundia and Athirappilly hydroelectric projects.
Dr Kasturirangan had recommended 37 percent of area be declared as ecologically sensitive and asked for restriction of commercial activities like mining and thermal power plants in Western Ghats. The government told the tribunal that it had also published a draft notification in the Gazette of India declaring ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats on March 10, 2014 and that the same was pending for consideration of objections. The counsel appearing for the Ministry of Environment and Forests sought time to seek instructions and file appropriate affidavit.
The affidavit was filed after much delay, which irked the tribunal and forced it to rap the ministry on Monday for filing a "vague" report.The implementation of the Gadgil committee report has been a controversial issue in Kerala with all political parties telling the union government that the report should be rejected outright. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had in June met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar demanding that the state be consulted before a decision is taken on this issue. Mr Javadekar had then said that no decision would be taken without consulting the state.
( Source : dc )
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