Congress Blames Centre for Delay in Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Tag Amid Wayanad Tragedy

The Congress accused the Centre of delaying the declaration of an 'ecologically sensitive area' (ESA) for the Western Ghats, alleging it played a role in the recent human tragedy in Wayanad. The Centre issued a draft notification to declare parts of the Ghats as ESA, seeking public opinion within 60 days.

On Friday, the Congress leveled accusations at the Centre for its delayed action in designating parts of the Western Ghats as an 'ecologically sensitive area' (ESA), claiming this lag was a direct cause of the Wayanad tragedy.

The criticism followed the Centre's release of a draft notification to classify over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats across six states as ESA, inviting public feedback within 60 days. This announcement came a day after landslides in Wayanad claimed over 300 lives.

According to Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, the delay has permitted unfettered commercial activities which he believes precipitated the disaster. He also pointed out that the proposed coverage falls significantly short of the recommended 64 percent protection level suggested by the Madhav Gadgil Working Group in 2011.