Western Ghats and 'Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP)’ Report

Silent Valley - A View from observation tower

For a long time, thought-out my childhood days, Western Ghats remained as a permanent fixture in my life. Living close to Ghats, I could see the mighty mountains standing on a side, with mysterious mist roaming around it. Even now, every time I cross Palakkad Gap, that saintly figure used to come to my mind.

Human thirst for development didn't leave Western Ghat too. In the 70s, close to ecologically sensitive Silent Valley National Park (SVNP), government was determined to execute a hydroelectric project in the middle of a pristine forest. If it was not for strong protests, that pure abode of nature might have vanished in to the annals of history. Many other segments of Western Ghats also came under the scissors as administrators were eager to approve hydro electric, mining projects etc.

Some areas came under the classification of protected areas, wild life sanctuaries etc and thus escaped from destruction. Then came MoEF’s classification of Go and No-Go areas; it is yet to see how many of the so called No-Go areas will eventually become Go areas.

Recently, I came across a report by 'Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel(WGEEP)' about classifying the Ghats in to different Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ECZ) depends on its importance - regions of highest sensitivity (ECZ1), regions of high sensitivity (ECZ2), regions of moderate sensitivity (ECZ3) - and implement conservation measures (existing protected areas were treated as a separate category).

Please see the sector-wise guidelines proposed by them below.

Sector	ESZ1	ESZ2	ESZ3
Land use	No Special Economic Zones; no new hill stations
	No new non-agricultural land use to be permitted, except extension of existing village settlement areas to accommodate increase in population of local residents, FSA ratio of ***
Water use	Decentralized water resources management plans at Local Self Government level  are to be developed at least for the next 20 years Reschedule reservoir operations in such a way as to improve downstream flows and also act as conflict resolution strategy Revive traditional water harvesting systems such as  recharging  wells and  surangams Protect high altitude valley swamps Participatory sand auditing and strict regulations to be put in place to control sand mining Declare “sand holidays” based on assessments and sand audit for mined river stretches. Rehabilitation of mined areas to be taken up by the companies / agencies with special focus on reviving the water resources Eco – restoration of the forest fragments between the tea/coffee/cardamom estates and  reviving the  hill streams  should be taken up as a major well coordinated initiatives  among Planters, Local Self Governments and Forest Departments in high altitude areas Catchment area treatment plans of hydroelectric  and major irrigation projects should be taken up to improve their life span. Improve river flows and water quality by scientific riparian management programmes involving  community participation Water conservation measures should be adopted through suitable technology up-gradation and public awareness programmes Inter-basin diversions of rivers in the Western Ghats should not be allowed  any more River Basin Planning should be supported by suitable legal institutions that are capable of integrating different departments which are presently dealing with or impacting the rivers in a compartmentalized manner. Decommissioning of dams that have outlived their utility being underperforming, silted up beyond acceptable standards is to be considered.
Agriculture	Promote organic agricultural practices, introduce incentive payments for sequestration of carbon in soils,  introduce incentive payments for maintenance of select traditional cultivars, encourage participatory breeding programmes to improve productivity of traditional cultivars, encourage precision agricultural practices, No GMOs
	Phase out all use of chemical pesticides/ weedicides and chemical fertilizers within five years	Phase out all use of chemical pesticides/ weedicides and chemical fertilizers within eight years	Phase out all use of chemical pesticides/ weedicides and chemical fertilizers within ten years
Animal Husbandry	Introduce incentive payments as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of land races of livestock, Redeploy subsidies for chemical fertilizers towards maintenance of livestock and production of biogas and generation of organic manure
Fishery	Strictly control use of dynamite and other explosives to kill fish, Provide fish ladders at all reservoirs, Introduce incentive payments as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of indigenous fish species in tanks under control of Biodiversity Management Committees or Fishermen’s co-operatives, monitor and control trade in aquarium fishes with the help of Biodiversity Management Committees
Forestry: Government lands	Forest Rights Act to be implemented in its true spirit by reaching out to people to facilitate their claims, Community Forest Resource provisions under FRA to replace all current Joint Forest Management programmes
	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; No quarrying; No pesticide/ weedicide application; Extraction of medicinal plants with strict regulations	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; Encourage planting of endemic species; Quarrying with strict regulations; Phase out pesticide/ weedicide application; Extraction of medicinal plants with strict regulations	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; Encourage planting of endemic species; Quarrying with strict regulations; Phase out pesticide/ weedicide application; Extraction of medicinal plants with strict regulations
Forestry: private lands	Recognize rights of all small-scale, traditional private land holders under FRA, Introduce incentive payments as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of natural vegetation for small land holders; Introduce incentives such as tax breaks or renewal of leases as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of natural vegetation for large land holders/ plantation owners;
Forestry: private lands	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; No quarrying; No pesticide/ weedicide application; Extraction of medicinal plants with strict regulations ; Encourage planting of endemic species	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; Encourage planting of endemic species; Quarrying with strict regulations; Phase out pesticide/ weedicide application;	No monoculture plantation of exotics like eucalyptus; Encourage planting of endemic species in private forests; Quarrying with strict regulations; Phase out pesticide/ weedicide application;
Biodiversity	Introduce incentive payments as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of sacred groves; Introduce incentive payments as “conservation service charges” for maintenance of biodiversity elements on private lands, lands under control of Biodiversity Management Committees, JFM lands, lands assigned as Community Forest Resources; Make special funds available to Biodiversity Management Committees for disbursal in relation to wildlife related damage
Mining	No mining in areas demarcated as ESZ1 Where mining exists, it should be phased out in 5 years, by 2016; Illegal mining to be stopped immediately	No new mining; Existing mining under strict regulation and social audit	New mining may be taken up under strict regulation and social audit
Industry (Red /Orange)	No new red and orange category industries; for existing industries switch to zero pollution by 2016 and be subject to strict regulation and social audit	No new red and orange category industries; for existing industries switch to zero pollution by 2016 and be subject to strict regulation and social audit	New industries may be set up under strict regulation and social audit
(Green/ Blue)	With strict regulation and social audit. Local bioresource based industry should be promoted. All should be strictly regulated and be subject to social audit.	Promote Green/ Blue industries. Local bioresource based industry should be promoted. All should be strictly regulated and be subject to social audit.	Promote Green/ Blue industries. Local bioresource based industry should be promoted. All should be strictly regulated and be subject to social audit.
Power/Energy	No large storage dams, small bandharas are permissible; No new large wind projects or thermal power plants; Promote biomass based  and solar sources for decentralized energy needs; Promote small scale, micro and pico hydropower systems, that are people owned & managed and are off grid; Strict regulation of existing thermal power plants; the existing thermal plants  should be obliged to actively promote alternate uses of fly ash -  such as in road making in addition to the existing practices of  manufacture of  fly ash bricks Promote run of the river schemes. Promote biomass based /solar sources for decentralized energy needs. All should be strictly regulated and be subject to social audit.	No large storage dams, small bandharas are permissible; Promote  run of the river hydropower projects but after cumulative impact study of the river basin is  done; Regulated wind power projects but after cumulative impact study; Zero pollution to be required of existing   Thermal Power Plants; Promote biomass based /solar sources for decentralized energy needs. All should be strictly regulated and be subject to social audit.	Power plants  are allowed subject to strict environmental regulations and monitoring  and after cumulative impact assessments are undertaken; Dams subject to strict regulation and social audit.
Transport	No new railway line. No national highway/state highway/expressways.	Upgradation possible/permitted subject to strict regulation and social audit; New roads subject to strict regulation and social audit.	Essential new roads may be allowed subject to strict regulation and social audit.
Tourism	No ecotourism zones; Follow Ecotourism policy of MoEF; Strict regulation	Strict regulation on basis of a Tourism master plan  and social audit	Strict regulation and social audit
Sewage disposal	Organize effective treatment of sewage under strict regulation and social audit
Solid waste management	Ban all use of plastics; Enforce proper separation of degradable and non-degradable solid waste; Manage careful disposal of solid wastes subject to strict regulation and social audit; Introduce incentive payments for agreeing to host solid waste disposal sites within jurisdiction of any Panchayat
Hazardous waste management	Strictly ban all activities producing hazardous wastes	Strictly ban all activities producing hazardous wastes	Manage careful disposal of hazardous wastes subject to strict regulation and social audit
Education	Reconnect children and youth to local environment through education programmes focusing on local environmental issues. To achieve this, students’  “River Clubs” should be encouraged in schools situated along the course of the respective river Tailor Environmental Education projects to serve as an instrument of participatory environmental monitoring involving local community members; connect such exercises to preparation of “Peole’s Biodiversity Registers” by the local Biodiversity Management Committees
Science and Technology	Cumulative impact assessment for all new projects such as dams, mines, tourism, and  housing should be conducted  and permission given only if they fall within the carrying capacity Environment river flow assessments / indicators should be worked out by  Research institutions, NGOs along with local communities
Information management	Build on the Western Ghats database of WGEEP to create an open, transparent, participatory system of environmental monitoring involving all citizens, in particular the student community Update and upgrade hydrological data base of rivers and consolidate the ecological data base and information at river basin level Assess downstream impacts of dams on river ecology, flood plains, fishing habitats, livelihoods,  biodiversity and related aspects Map salinity intrusion so as to suggest improved flows in future Monitor reservoir operations involving downstream local self governments and departments

Conclusion

Next time, when politicians come to your home for votes, don't forget to ask them about their opinion and measures they are going to implement to protect Western Ghats. This 1490km lengthy belt is second only to Eastern Himalayas in terms of bio-diversity in India. Source of many important rivers, Ghats are too important to lose.

Sajeev.

References

1. Pranab Sen committee report - 2000

2. Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) Report

Note 1: Table is produced as it is from WGEEP report.

Note 2: Photos are from Wikipedia