Western Ghats ESA Notification

Thirteen years after the Kasturirangan report, the Centre is finally trying to lock in an Ecologically Sensitive Area across the Western Ghats, but not in one go. With the sixth draft notification set to lapse in July 2026, the plan is to notify state by state, starting with the ones that have signed off on their boundaries, Gujarat first. About 56,825 sq km across six states is on the table; Kerala and Karnataka remain the biggest holdouts, and a fresh Wayanad landslide has again put slope safety in the spotlight.