Environment Minister Veerappa Moily also said that the Ministry has not issued any draft notification for declaration of the area identified by the High Level Working Group (HLWG) as Ecologically Sensitive under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
In his written replies to various questions on the issue, Moily, however, said that the Ministry, which accorded "in principle" acceptance of the HLWG report prepared by a panel under the charimanship of K Kasturirangan, has issued directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 "with a view to providing immediate protection to Western Ghats and maintain environmental integrity".
"Their views have been sought within one month so that the Ministry may consider the same before issuing the draft notification for declaring the Ecologically Sensitive Area in the Western Ghats," Moily said.
He also said that it has been clarified in the Office Memorandum that the boundary of the Ecologically Sensitive Area as identified by the HLWG as also the regulatory regime would be finalized after the draft notification to the effect is placed in the public domain for comments/views of stakeholders including State Governments.