NGT puts curbs on Western ghats States

•  The six Western Ghats States, including Kerala, have been restrained by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) from giving environmental clearance to activities that may adversely impact the eco-sensitive areas of the mountain ranges.
• The panel directed that the extent of Eco-Sensitive Zones of Western Ghats, which was notified by the Central government earlier, should not be reduced in view of the recent floods in Kerala.

Importance of Western Ghats:

• Western Ghats are an important geological landform of peninsular India. It is the origin of Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri and a myriad of rivers which are life line for the people of southern India.
• On its ecological health depends livelihoods of millions of people belonging to the six Western Ghats states of Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• Western Ghats is one of the identified hotspots of biological diversity globally and is a treasure trove of biological diversity. Western Ghats harbour many endemic species of flowering plants, endemic fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates.
• It is also notable center of evolution of economically important domesticated plant species such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamom, mango and jackfruit. The forests harboured by the Western Ghats play a significant and important ecological function in sequestration of atmospheric CO2 and hence have an important role in climate change.
• Western Ghats have many unique habitats which are home to a variety of endemic species of flora and fauna. The lower elevations of the southern Western Ghats harbour remarkable relic habitat termed as Myristica swamps. Myristica swamps are the only remaining habitat for Myristicaceae which is one of the most primitive plant family among the flowering plants. Apart from southern Western ghats, these swamps are reported from New Guinea, Venezula and Amazon basin only. Similarly, the flat-topped lateritic plateaus of northern Western ghats harbour unique and rich endemic herbaceous flora which comes to bloom in the post-monsoon season.
• Southern Western Ghats feature a unique tropical vegetation type, viz. stunted montane evergreen forests interspersed with grasslands – the shola vegetation. Approximately 80 % of all endemic frog species are restricted to evergreen forests of Western Ghats. The wetland and aquatic habitats of Western Ghats are also unique in terms the rich diversity of species they support.

By: Vishal