Western Ghats ESA Row: Kerala’s Objection and Civil‑Society Push for Stronger Protection

Kerala’s cabinet is set to review the state’s formal objection to the Centre’s draft Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notification, with the filing deadline looming on 25 September 2026. At the same time, the Akka Foundation Trust is mobilising a “Chalo Bengaluru” satyagraha to demand full implementation of the Kasturirangan Committee report and stricter climate‑action measures.

Kerala’s ESA Objection

The state’s demand narrows the ESA in the Western Ghats to 98 villages covering 8,590.69 sq km, arguing that protection should be limited to forest lands and leased plantations. The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reissued the draft ESA notification for the seventh time in a decade, and a 60‑day public comment window closes on 25 September.

• ▸98 villages, 8,590.69 sq km earmarked for ESA restriction
• ▸Deadline for objections: Friday, 25 Sept 2026
• ▸Seventh re‑issuance of the draft ESA in ten years
• ▸60‑day public comment period ends on 25 Sept

The proposal will be tabled before the Kerala cabinet on Wednesday, 23 Sept 2026. While local residents voice apprehension over possible activity bans, conservationists warn that any dilution could undermine the Ghats’ role in sustaining the ecology of six states.

Legal Foundations and International Obligations

India’s environmental jurisprudence rests on Article 21 of the Constitution, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to guarantee a clean and healthy environment, and on the Directive Principles of State Policy – notably Article 48A (environmental protection) and Article 51A(g) (citizen’s duty to safeguard nature). The ESA framework is operationalised through the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, which empowers the central government to designate ecologically sensitive zones.

• ▸Cabinet consideration scheduled for 23 Sept 2026
• ▸Public protests have erupted in several ESA villages
• ▸Conservationists stress the Ghats’ criticality for six states

These domestic provisions dovetail with India’s commitments under the UNFCCC, its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which obligate the country to conserve biodiversity hotspots and enhance ecosystem resilience.

Stakeholder Landscape: From Forest‑Dependent Communities to Urban Activists

Civil‑society groups are amplifying the debate. The Akka Foundation Trust has launched a “Chalo Bengaluru” programme originating from Hubballi, aiming to press for the Kasturirangan Committee’s recommendations. Activists will converge at Freedom Park on Monday, led by environmentalist Avinash, to stage a satyagraha, gather signatures, and submit a memorandum to the government.

• ▸Akka Foundation’s “Chalo Bengaluru” programme launched from Hubballi
• ▸Satyagraha scheduled at Freedom Park on Monday under Avinash
• ▸Signature drive and memorandum submission to the government
• ▸Call for a formal climate‑emergency declaration

The movement also highlights agrarian distress: farmers report diseases afflicting arecanut, coffee and pepper crops, and cite the lack of title deeds due to forest‑related statutes, which blocks access to credit and welfare schemes.

Policy Proposals: Kasturirangan Report and Forest‑Law Reforms

The Kasturirangan Committee report, a successor to the earlier Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) recommendations, calls for a tiered protection regime, including a 50 % core zone free from major development. The Akka Foundation urges the government to enforce the ban on single‑use plastics and promote cloth bags as alternatives. It also seeks amendments to forest legislation to resolve land‑title ambiguities for hill‑farmers.

• ▸Enforcement of the single‑use plastic ban demanded
• ▸Promotion of cloth bags as a sustainable alternative
• ▸Acknowledgement of Malnad region’s concerns over the report
• ▸Farmers protest against crop diseases linked to climate