Current Affairs · · GS3 · Environment

Western Ghats Conservation Raises Questions Over Farmers' Land Rights

Can the Western Ghats be protected without displacing farmers? Karnataka has directed officials to stop fresh eviction notices to traditional cultivators amid concerns over proposed eco-sensitive areas. The debate highlights how biodiversity conservation, forest rights and rural livelihoods must be addressed together.

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  1. Context1 / 4
    • The Centre has proposed declaring parts of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) to protect their biodiversity.
    • Farmers in Karnataka have expressed concerns about the possible impact on their agricultural land and livelihoods.
    • Karnataka's Chief Minister directed forest officials not to issue fresh eviction notices to traditional cultivators.
    • Farmers have requested physical surveys to identify existing settlements, cultivated land and ecologically important areas accurately.
    • The government is considering ground-level verification before taking its final position on the proposal.
  2. Key highlights2 / 4
    • Eco-sensitive proposal: The draft seeks to protect ecologically important parts of the Western Ghats by restricting specified environmentally damaging activities.
    • Eviction concerns: Karnataka's Chief Minister directed officials to stop issuing fresh eviction notices to traditional cultivators. This is not a blanket legal exemption for all occupations of forest land.
    • Agricultural protection: The draft clarifies that ESA designation itself will not displace existing residents or prohibit ordinary agriculture and plantation activities.
    • Physical verification: Farmers have sought ground surveys to ensure that settlements and cultivated land are accurately identified before boundaries are finalised.
    • Conservation restrictions: The draft proposes prohibitions on mining, new thermal power projects, certain highly polluting industries and specified large construction projects.
    • Land rights: The state government has distinguished long-standing cultivation from new forest encroachment, stating that new encroachments will not be permitted.
  3. Key concepts3 / 4

    1. Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)

    • An ESA is an area identified for special environmental protection because of its ecological importance.
    • It may have restrictions on mining, polluting industries, construction and other activities that could damage ecosystems.
    • The purpose is to conserve biodiversity while allowing activities permitted under the applicable rules.

    Important distinction: ESA classification does not automatically ban all human activity or require residents to leave.

    News connection: The Western Ghats proposal seeks to regulate damaging activities while allowing existing settlements, agriculture and plantations to continue under applicable laws.

    1. Western Ghats and biodiversity hotspots
    • The Western Ghats are a mountain chain running parallel to India's western coast.
    • They influence the monsoon and are important for several peninsular river systems.
    • The region contains many endemic species — plants and animals naturally found only in a particular geographical area.
    • Parts of the Western Ghats are included on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

    Why are they important?

    • They support rich biodiversity and forest ecosystems.
    • They help regulate water availability and regional climate.
    • They support agriculture, plantations and other local livelihoods.

    News connection: Protecting the Western Ghats requires considering both their ecological importance and the communities dependent on their resources.

    1. Forest Rights Act (FRA)
    • The Forest Rights Act recognises eligible rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.
    • These include rights relating to habitation, self-cultivation and community forest resources.
    • The Gram Sabha initiates the process of verifying and recommending forest-rights claims.
    • Eligible forest dwellers cannot be evicted from the forest land they occupy before the recognition and verification process is completed.

    Important distinction: Long-standing residence alone does not automatically establish legal ownership. Claims must satisfy the applicable legal conditions.

    News connection: Claims involving traditional cultivation must be examined through the appropriate legal process rather than treating all existing occupation and new encroachment identically.

    1. Participatory cadastral mapping
    • Cadastral mapping identifies individual land parcels, their boundaries and associated land-record information.
    • Participatory mapping involves local residents in identifying farms, settlements, forest areas and customary uses.
    • Combining official records, ground surveys and community knowledge can help identify errors in proposed boundaries.

    News connection: Farmers want physical verification so that existing agricultural land and settlements are correctly recorded before ESA boundaries are finalised.

    The draft notification also recognises the need to resolve discrepancies in village names and areas and incorporate local communities into decision-making.

  4. Way forward4 / 4
    • Complete ground surveys: Verify settlements, cultivated land and ecologically important areas before finalising ESA boundaries.
    • Protect lawful rights: Examine traditional land claims under applicable laws while preventing new illegal encroachments.
    • Promote sustainable livelihoods: Encourage environmentally compatible agriculture and conservation incentives developed with local communities.

Sources

  • The Hindu · KA CM's assurance to farmers concerning the Kasturirangan, p. 5 · 20 September 2026
  • Government of India · Draft notification of Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive A · 27 July 2026
  • UNESCO · Western Ghats · 20 September 2026

Syllabus

PaperSubjectSub-topic
GS3EnvironmentConservation, environmental degradation and biodiversity protection.
GS2Social Justice—
GS2GovernanceGovernment policies and interventions for the welfare of vulnerable sections; social security for workers.

Topics

BiodiversityEcology and EcosystemEnvironmental Laws, Conventions and Policies

Related previous-year questions

Asked in earlier UPSC Prelims papers on this topic. Answer, then check.

  1. UPSC Prelims 2011 · Environment and Ecology · Biodiversity

    Three of the following criteria have contributed to the recognition of Western Ghats-Sri Lanka and Indo-Burma regions as hotspots of biodiversity: 1. Species richness 2. Vegetation density 3. Endemism 4. Ethno-botanical importance 5. Threat perception 6. Adaptation of flora and fauna to warm and humid conditions Which three of the above are correct criteria in this context?

    1. 1, 2 and 6
    2. 2, 4 and 6
    3. 1, 3 and 5
    4. 3, 4 and 6
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Correct Answer: 1, 3 and 5 A biodiversity hotspot is a region with very high biodiversity, high endemism and serious threat to its natural habitat. Statement-wise Explanation 1. Species richness — Correct Species richness means the presence of a large number of species in an area. It is an important feature of biodiversity hotspots because such regions support high biological diversity. 2. Vegetation density — Incorrect Vegetation density is not a formal criterion for declaring a biodiversity hotspot. A region may have dense vegetation, but hotspot status depends on species richness, endemism and threat. 3. Endemism — Correct Endemism means species found only in a particular region and nowhere else. A biodiversity hotspot must have a high number of endemic species, especially endemic vascular plants. 4. Ethno-botanical importance — Incorrect Ethno-botanical importance means the cultural or traditional use of plants by local communities. It may be important for conservation, but it is not a formal hotspot criterion. 5. Threat perception — Correct A biodiversity hotspot must face serious threat due to habitat loss or degradation. The region should have lost a major part of its original natural vegetation. 6. Adaptation to warm and humid conditions — Incorrect Adaptation to climate is not a criterion for hotspot recognition. Hotspots are identified mainly on the basis of biodiversity value and threat level. Extra UPSC Info * The biodiversity hotspot concept was developed by Norman Myers. * Conservation International uses two main criteria: endemism and threat. * A hotspot must have at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species. * It must have lost at least 70% of its original native vegetation. * India has four biodiversity hotspots: Himalaya, Western Ghats-Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma and Sundaland. * The Nicobar Islands are part of the Sundaland hotspot. Final Takeaway Species richness, endemism and threat perception are the correct criteria for recognising biodiversity hotspots.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. UPSC Prelims 2018 · Environment and Ecology · Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies

    Consider the following statements: 1. The definition of 'Critical Wildlife Habitat' is incorporated in the Forest Rights Act, 2006. 2. For the first time in India, Baigas have been given Habitat Rights. 3. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change officially decides and declares Habitat Rights for Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Groups in any part of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Statements 1 and 2 are correct, so the answer is (a) 1 and 2 only. Statement 1 is CORRECT. The phrase critical wildlife habitat is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and not in the wildlife legislation where one might expect it. Statement 2 is CORRECT. The Government of Madhya Pradesh, for the first time, recognised the habitat rights of seven villages in Dindori district, mostly inhabited by the Baigas, to undo the historical injustice done to primitive tribal communities in central India. Statement 3 is INCORRECT. Under the Act, the District Level Committee is to ensure that all Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups receive habitat rights, in consultation with their traditional institutions, with claims filed before the concerned Gram Sabhas. The decision is not taken by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. SOURCE: PIB release on habitat rights; Down To Earth report on the Baiga becoming India's first community to receive them. HOW TO CRACK IT: Statement 3 fails on the architecture of the Forest Rights Act, which deliberately vests decisions in the Gram Sabha and district level committees rather than in a central ministry. Ask which level of government a law empowers, since a statute built to decentralise will not hand the final say to a Union ministry.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  3. UPSC Prelims 2019 · Environment and Ecology · Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies

    Consider the following statements: 1. As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas. 2. As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce. 3. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Statement 1 – INCORRECT: The Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 exempts bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the definition of tree, thereby dispensing with the requirement of felling/transit permit for its economic use. It does not grant forest dwellers the right to fell bamboos grown on forest areas. Statement 2 – CORRECT: Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is defined under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, as all non-timber forest produce of plant origin, and includes bamboo, brushwood, stumps, canes, Tusser, cocoon, honey, waxes, Lac, tendu/kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tuber and the like. Statement 3 – CORRECT: The Forest Rights Act 2006 defines forest rights as inclusive of 'Right of ownership, access to collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce which have traditionally been collected within or outside village boundaries'. Individuals, communities and gram sabhas having rights under this particular section of the Act will not only have the rights to use but also rights of ownership over MFPs. Correct statements: 2 and 3 → Option (b).

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Practice questions

  1. With reference to Ecologically Sensitive Areas, consider the following statements: 1. They may be designated to protect ecologically important landscapes. 2. Their declaration automatically prohibits all agricultural activities. 3. Certain environmentally damaging industries and projects may be prohibited or regulated within them. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Western Ghats ESA draft does not impose a blanket prohibition on agriculture. Options (c) and (d) include the incorrect statement, while (a) excludes Statement 3.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. With reference to the Forest Rights Act, consider the following statements: 1. It recognises eligible individual and community forest rights. 2. The Gram Sabha has a role in initiating the process of determining forest-rights claims. 3. Every person occupying forest land automatically receives ownership rights under the Act. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because forest-rights recognition is subject to statutory eligibility and verification. The other options incorrectly include Statement 3.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  3. Consider the following statements: 1. The Western Ghats influence the Indian monsoon. 2. They contain several species that are endemic to the region. 3. The entire Western Ghats mountain chain has been designated as a single UNESCO World Heritage property covering every part of the range. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 2 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because the UNESCO inscription comprises selected component sites rather than the entire mountain chain. Options (b) and (d) include the incorrect statement, while (a) excludes Statement 2.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Mains practice

Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.

  1. GS3 · 150 words

    Conservation of ecologically sensitive landscapes must address biodiversity protection and the livelihood needs of local communities. Discuss with reference to the Western Ghats.

    Show hints
    1. Explain the ecological significance of the Western Ghats.
    2. Discuss the purpose of ESA classification.
    3. Examine concerns over agricultural land and forest rights.
    4. Explain the importance of ground surveys and Gram Sabha participation.
    5. Suggest livelihood-compatible conservation and transparent implementation.