Govt mulls 56,825-sq km eco-sensitive zone in Western Ghats

Proposed area is 20,175 sq km less than originally recommended in 2011

The government has decided to notify 56,825 square kilometres of Western Ghats across six states as eco-sensitive zones where mining, thermal power plants and polluting industries banned and restrictions put on other developing projects and industrial activities. On February 28 the Union environment, forests and climate change ministry put out a draft notification to declare the Eco-Sensitive Zone. 

The area spread across Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu is much less than the originally recommended about 77,000 square kilometres as strictly regulated eco-sensitive zone and another 51,600 square kilometres as less onerously restrictive zone by ecological experts in