#dnaEdit Concrete punch to the ghats

It was becoming evident in the last couple of months that the Modi government puts a premium on development at the cost of environment. It has been steadily removing the obstacles it felt would jeopardise its vision of growth. In view of the recent developments, which include taking away autonomy from the National Wildlife Board’s standing committee and a raft of major decisions most likely to be detrimental to the country’s green cover, the latest decision of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) should not have come as a shock. Predictably, the Prakash Javadekar-headed MoEF has decided to junk the recommendations of the Madhav Gadgil report on the Western Ghats in favour of the suggestions made by the high-level working group headed by Dr K Kasturirangan.

Javadekar was aware of the furore such a move would generate, but like most occasions in Indian politics, greater good has been sacrificed for political compulsions. The Centre has apparently buckled under growing pressure from states which have been eyeing the delicate ecological zone for dams, mining, power plants and irrigation projects. More importantly, this plundering of natural resources is in sync with the Centre’s efforts to turn the economy around. It didn’t matter to Javadekar that Gadgil himself had criticised Kasturirangan’s report for diluting the importance of preserving 1,64,280 sq kms of dense forest cover spread across six states, including Maharashtra.

The Gadgil report had divided the Western Ghats into three ecologically sensitive zones. By insisting on a ban on big dams and mining in zone 1, calling for a moratorium on new project clearances in zone 2 for the time being and taking a critical stand on polluting industries, it was trying to protect a rich variety of flora and fauna. This meant no new coal-based thermal power plants in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra. Kasturirangan, on the other hand, had no such compulsions. He merely sought to protect only 37 per cent area of the ghats, thus paving the way for exploitation.
When Javadekar became the environment minister, he had made grand gestures and pronouncements in an attempt to assure the green lobby that the new government, unlike the previous dispensation, is sensitive to environmental concerns. It was only a matter of time before environmental laws became noticeably lax. Now polluting industries can came up within five kms of national parks and projects. Coal mines can be expanded at will and gram sabhas will have no say in forest prospecting. With the checks and balances eliminated from the system, the Centre’s pro-industry, manufacture-friendly ratings have gone up exponentially. At the same time, it has attracted criticism from the Supreme Court for not yet setting up an independent environment authority. The reason for such dilly-dallying needs no further explanation. An independent authority can prove to be a pain in the neck for the Modi administration.

It appears that a growing awareness on environmental concerns and a vigilant judiciary are the two last bastions of resistance. The BJP, which will most likely come to power in Maharashtra after the assembly elections, has every reason to benefit from the Kasturirangan report. It will dangle the carrot of development to sway public opinion. 

The coming days should ideally see the battle for the ghats fought in courts and in the public domain through sustained mass campaigns.