The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEF&CC) seventh draft notification on the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) has once again brought a long-running debate in Goa back into focus. By retaining all 108 proposed villages, spanning 1,461 square kilometres across Sattari, Sanguem, Dharbandora, Canacona and Ponda, the Centre appears to have effectively rejected the Goa government’s proposal to reduce the coverage to 87 villages. As Chief Minister Pramod Sawant appeals to the public not to panic and Poriem MLA Deviya Rane assures residents that fresh objections will be submitted, the State faces a formidable challenge. On one side, Goa’s fragile ecosystems and environment need protection, while on the other the aspirations and livelihoods of the people cannot be overlooked.
The Centre’s position reflects the undeniable ecological significance of the Western Ghats. Recognised globally as a biodiversity hotspot, the mountain range plays a critical role in regulating climate, sustaining water resources and providing vital wildlife corridors. The proposed restrictions on new mining and quarrying projects, thermal power plants, highly polluting red-category industries, and large construction projects exceeding 20,000 square metres are intended to create a much-needed buffer against unchecked environmental damage. Given the increasing threats of deforestation, biodiversity loss and landslides, the safeguards proposed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, cannot be ignored.
At the same time, the people’s concerns cannot be brushed aside. The demand to exclude 21 villages, particularly densely populated areas in Sattari, Dharbandora and Sanguem, stems from genuine worries about economic survival and rural livelihoods. For many communities, agriculture, traditional occupations, housing expansion and the extraction of minor minerals are not merely economic activities but the foundation of daily life. Minor minerals, in particular, support thousands of livelihoods while supplying essential material for Goa’s construction sector. Imposing restrictions without offering practical alternatives risks weakening rural economies and increasing dependence on neighbouring states.
The political leadership, therefore, has the monumental responsibility of reassuring the public without downplaying legitimate concerns. Calls to avoid panic are justified, especially since the notification remains in the draft stage and is open to public consultation. However, repeatedly filing objections alone will not resolve the issue. What Goa needs is a more thoughtful approach that moves beyond the familiar binary of complete environmental protection versus unrestricted development. Instead of treating the ESA as a blanket restriction on human activity, both the State and the Centre should work towards a more nuanced, micro-level framework. Ecologically fragile areas certainly need the highest degree of protection, but villages with long-established human settlements deserve regulations that factor in local realities.
The government will have to explore options where locals coexist. Achieving that balance, however, demands more than political rhetoric. The government must present evidence-based, scientifically robust proposals during the consultation process, while local communities should actively participate in shaping a framework that safeguards both their future and that of the Western Ghats.
Protecting the Western Ghats is an environmental obligation and an investment in the region’s long-term security and resilience. The challenge now is to move beyond reassurances and resistance, and craft a policy that preserves this irreplaceable ecological heritage while also respecting the people who live within it.
