Karnataka Government to Reject Centre’s Latest Western Ghats ESA Draft

The announcement comes as concerns remain high among communities in the Western Ghats, including those in Kodagu and other districts covered by the proposed ESA.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday announced that it would reject the latest draft notification issued by the Centre proposing an Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) covering 20,668 square kilometres across 1,449 villages in the State.

Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Ramalinga Reddy made the announcement in the Legislative Assembly after legislators cutting across party lines raised concerns over the proposed restrictions, describing the notification as a “death knell” for farmers and people living in the Western Ghats.

Proposal dates back to 2013

Mr. Reddy told the House that the High-Level Working Group headed by scientist K. Kasturirangan, constituted by the Centre to recommend measures for protecting the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, had submitted its report in 2013.

The report had recommended declaring around 56,000 square kilometres across six States as ESA, including 20,668 square kilometres in Karnataka.

Based on the recommendations, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued six draft notifications over the years proposing the declaration of the ESA. However, those notifications lapsed without being finalised. The latest, issued on July 27, 2026, is the seventh draft notification.

According to the Minister, the proposed notification places restrictions on activities considered harmful to the environment, including mining, quarrying, sand mining, certain construction activities and the development of townships, subject to specified limits.

1,449 villages across 10 districts

The proposed ESA covers 10 Karnataka districts — Mysuru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Shivamogga, Kodagu, Belagavi and Chikkamagaluru.

A total of 1,449 villages across 39 taluks have been identified under the proposed ESA.

Mr. Reddy said States have 60 days from the date of publication of the draft notification to submit objections and suggestions to the Centre.

Seeking to allay concerns among residents of the Western Ghats, he said the notification did not require the eviction of people living within the proposed ESA. He also clarified that farming had not been specifically prohibited and maintained that the day-to-day lives of residents would not be affected by the proposal.

State maintains earlier stand

Mr. Reddy said the State Cabinet had consistently conveyed its opposition to earlier ESA draft notifications issued by the Centre.

The State’s position, he explained, was based partly on the fact that several areas identified under the Kasturirangan recommendations already fall within reserved forests, notified forests or Ecologically Sensitive Zones declared by the State.

Imposing additional restrictions in such areas could, he said, create difficulties even for conservation activities.

While the latest draft notification is still being examined by the State government, Mr. Reddy made it clear that Karnataka would communicate its decision to the Centre and formally reject the proposal.

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