Decision on W Ghats after consulting villagers: Govt

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said decision on the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats would be taken only after considering the views of affected villages.

“A big democratic exercise is underway,” he told a press conference here, referring to surveys being carried out by seven state governments in villages that fall in the eco-sensitive areas (ESAs) of the Western Ghats region.

A few state governments have submitted their reports, said the minister, adding that he expected the remaining reports by June 30—the last date for submissions.
The surveys' findings will be studied by next month and a decision will be taken after ensuring protection of the environment, said Javadekar.

The Western Ghats run parallel to the Arabian Sea coast for approximately 1,600 km from the Maharashtra-Gujarat border to the southern tip of Kerala.
DH News Service