More time for Western Ghats panel as eco-sensitive area deadlock continues

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 27, 2026 01:55 PM IST The Western Ghats are home to diverse ecosystems and threatened species. (File Photo)An expert committee constituted in 2022 by the Union environment ministry to examine issues raised by states regarding the demarcation of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in the fragile Western Ghats region was given a year’s extension late last month, The Indian Express has learnt. The extension was given as the committee’s and the Centre’s work on breaking the deadlock on finalising ESAs as demarcated in a July 2024 draft notification, which has lapsed, continues.The July 31, 2024, draft notification, published on August 2—which was a sixth iteration of the Western Ghats ESA demarcation—had declared 56,825.7 sq km of the Ghats as ESA, across Gujara