{"id":13782,"date":"2026-06-23T12:06:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T06:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/?p=13782"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:06:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T08:36:30","slug":"western-ghats-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/2026-06-23-western-ghats-areas","title":{"rendered":"Government to Notify Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas in At Least Three States"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The notification of the Government to Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas (WGEAs) in At Least Three States is a remarkable achievement for environmental conservation in India. The Ghats is a biodiversity hotspot, contributing to the ecological balance, water supply and climate regulation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The government is considering the proposal at this stage with the intention of safeguarding the ecologically sensitive areas from unsustainable development while maintaining sustainable livelihoods for people. Thus, the news of the Government notifying 3 Western Ghats Ecosensitive Areas in 3 States has caused great stir among environmentalists, policymakers, and civil service aspirants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What Are the Western Ghats?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Ghats are a mountain range parallel to the West Coast of India. They extend over a length of some 1600 km across several states, and are important to the national climate and hydrology. The area is rich in forests, special ecosystems, and thousands of species of flora and fauna. Hence, the proposal to notify Western Ghats Eco-sensitive Areas in At Least Three States is perceived as a critical conservation action.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">States Covered by the Western Ghats<\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">State<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Presence of Western Ghats<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gujarat<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Small Northern Section<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maharashtra<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Extensive Coverage<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Goa<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Significant Coverage<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major Forest Areas<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dense Biodiversity Regions<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Southern Ghats Region<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What Are Eco-Sensitive Areas?<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are areas that have been identified by the Government of India as ecologically fragile and declared around Protected Areas like National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, although these areas do not suffer from legal protection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They are &#8220;shock absorbers&#8221; to curb human actions on sensitive ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ESAs are notified based on the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The goal is to harmonise environmental protection and sustainable development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some practices such as mining, quarrying and emission-intensive industries are either restricted or even banned.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They may be used generally for sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism activities and local community purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That is also something ESAs do for our biodiversity by protecting wildlife habitats, forests and watersheds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They also foster climate resilience and sustainable ecological security long into the future.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Previous Year Questions (PYQs)<\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Question (with Options)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Exam<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Answer<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats are recognized by UNESCO as a: <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Biosphere Reserve <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> World Heritage Site <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ramsar Site <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Geopark<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC Prelims<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2014<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) World Heritage Site<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which of the following rivers originates in the Western Ghats? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Godavari <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Krishna <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kaveri <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> All of the Above<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SSC CGL<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>D) All of the Above<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats run parallel to which coast of India? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Eastern Coast <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Western Coast <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Northern Coast <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Southern Coast<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SSC CHSL<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Western Coast<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which committee recommended declaring large parts of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Areas? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Swaminathan Committee <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Gadgil Committee <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sarkaria Committee <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kelkar Committee<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC Prelims<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2018<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Gadgil Committee<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Kasturirangan Committee is associated with: <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> River Linking <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Forest Rights Act <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Western Ghats Conservation <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Coastal Regulation Zone<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">State PCS<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>C) Western Ghats Conservation<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which of the following states is NOT traversed by the Western Ghats? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Karnataka <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kerala <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Maharashtra <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Odisha<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SSC GD<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>D) Odisha<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The highest peak of the Western Ghats is: <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Doddabetta <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Anaimudi <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mahabaleshwar Peak <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kudremukh<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC CDS<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Anaimudi<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anaimudi Peak is located in which state? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Karnataka <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Tamil Nadu <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kerala <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Goa<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SSC CPO<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2021<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>C) Kerala<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which endangered primate is endemic to the Western Ghats? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Hoolock Gibbon <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Lion-tailed Macaque <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Rhesus Macaque <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Slow Loris<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC Prelims<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2020<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Lion-tailed Macaque<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Silent Valley National Park, known for tropical evergreen forests, is located in: <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Karnataka <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Goa <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kerala <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Maharashtra<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SSC CGL<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>C) Kerala<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which mountain pass connects Kerala and Tamil Nadu through the Western Ghats? <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Nathu La <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Palghat Gap <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Shipki La <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Zoji La<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC Prelims<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2016<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Palghat Gap<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats are one of the world&#8217;s: <\/span><b>A)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Desert Ecosystems <\/span><b>B)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Biodiversity Hotspots <\/span><b>C)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Coral Reef Regions <\/span><b>D)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mangrove Zones<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UPSC Prelims<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2013<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B) Biodiversity Hotspots<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/2026-06-22-ambabai-mahalaxmi-temple\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amit Shah Unveils Ambabai Mahalaxmi Temple Corridor in Kolhapur<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conclusion on Eco-Sensitive Status<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Government to Notify Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas in at least Three States heralds the satisfying end of one significant segment of perhaps India&#8217;s most important environmental jigsaw. The Western Ghats, which host diverse biological resources crucial for water security, climate moderation, and the livelihood of millions. See Government to Declare Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas in at Least Three States, 7 Save Environment &#8216;Policy Markets&#8217; balance between conservation and development. When done right, the initiative has the potential to bolster environmental protections and enable sustainable growth as well as ecological resilience for future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">FAQs -Eco-Sensitive Area Plan in Select States<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"cfaq-wrapper\" data-multiple=\"0\"><div class=\"cfaq-item cfaq-open\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"true\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">1. What are the Western Ghats?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\"><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The Western Ghats are a mountain range along India's western coast and one of the world's biodiversity hotspots.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">2. Why are eco-sensitive areas important?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">Eco-sensitive areas help protect fragile ecosystems by regulating activities that may harm the environment.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">3. Which states are part of the Western Ghats?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The Western Ghats extend across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">4. What is the objective of the proposed notification?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The objective is to conserve biodiversity and regulate environmentally harmful activities in ecologically sensitive regions.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">5. Why are the Western Ghats significant?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">They provide water security, support biodiversity, regulate climate, and contain numerous endemic species.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The notification of the Government to Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas (WGEAs) in At Least Three States is a remarkable achievement for environmental conservation in India. The Ghats is a biodiversity hotspot, contributing to the ecological balance, water supply and climate regulation. The government is considering the proposal at this stage with the intention of safeguarding [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13782"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13787,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782\/revisions\/13787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}