Ecologist Madhav Gadgil highlights worsening conditions in the Western Ghats and urges grassroots pressure on representatives.
Recent landslides in Wayanad, Kerala, spotlight conservation efforts in the Western Ghats.
As per the ISRO Landslide Atlas, 7 of the top 20 landslide-prone districts are in Kerala, emphasizing the need for conservation.
Recent discussions focus on conservation measures from the Gadgil report and Kasturirangan committee.
Gadgil holds the government responsible for human-induced disasters in the Western Ghats.
In 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Forests established the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, led by Prof. Madhav Gadgil.
The Gadgil report recommended protecting Ecologically Sensitive Zones, phasing out mining and chemical pesticides, and regulating tourism.
The Gadgil panel's suggestion to classify 75% of the Western Ghats as environmentally sensitive was controversial, leading to a reduced area in the Kasturirangan report.
Western Ghats stretches across 6 Indian states, is a UNESCO Heritage Site and home to many endemic plant and animal species.