Kasturirangan Working Group
About 37% of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive.
Written by Pratidin; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
Excluded cultural landscapes from strict protection.
Quick recall
- Who headed the working group?
- K. Kasturirangan.
- When did it report?
- 2013.
- How much of the Ghats did it propose as ESA?
- About 37%, roughly 60,000 sq km.
- Which activities would be banned in the ESA?
- Mining, quarrying, sand mining and red-category industries.
- What distinction did it make?
- Between natural and cultural landscapes.
- How many draft notifications have been issued?
- Seven, the latest on 27 July 2026.
Asked before in UPSC
Recurring theme: Western Ghats conservation versus development
The Kasturirangan group narrowed the ecologically sensitive area to about 37% and allowed regulated development elsewhere; ESA notifications remain unsettled.
The Kasturirangan approach was designed as a compromise after States and local communities resisted the stricter Gadgil model.
Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats.
The adequacy of the roughly 37% ESA line is debated after landslides in Kerala and Karnataka.
The working group barred mining, quarrying and red-category industries in the ESA and left other projects to the environmental clearance process, so EIA rules decide much of the Ghats' fate.
Direct Prelims question naming both Western Ghats reports.
The basics
Why it matters
The High-Level Working Group headed by K. Kasturirangan (2013) reviewed the Gadgil report and proposed protecting about 37% of the Western Ghats, focusing on natural landscapes.
Natural versus cultural landscapes
It separated inhabited areas from natural areas.
- Forests and wildlife areas
- ESA with restrictions
- Farms, settlements, plantations
- Mostly outside the ESA
You now know
- Reported in 2013; chaired by K. Kasturirangan.
- About 37% (around 60,000 sq km) proposed as ESA.
- Ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining and polluting industries in the ESA.
- Draft notifications issued repeatedly since 2014; not finalised.
Go deeper
In one line: Kasturirangan narrowed Western Ghats protection to natural landscapes.
Why it matters for UPSC
Its drafts are still in the news, as in Karnataka's 2026 resolution.
The core idea
It kept protection strong in forests but excluded most inhabited areas. The legal tool is the Ecologically Sensitive Area, and mapping relies on Remote sensing.
Where to go next
- Ecologically Sensitive Area: The legal protection tool
- Remote sensing: Satellite mapping of land use
In one line: The report is a compromise that has still not been implemented.
Why
States object to satellite-based boundaries. Remote sensing needs ground checks. See Ecologically Sensitive Area.
Where to go next
- Ecologically Sensitive Area: The legal protection tool
- Remote sensing: Satellite mapping of land use
Ecologically Sensitive Area
The legal protection tool
In one line: An ESA is an area notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 where harmful activities are restricted.
People
Residents can continue to live and farm.
Example
The Western Ghats drafts.
Where to go next
- Remote sensing: Satellite mapping of land use
Ecologically Sensitive Area: every story that connects to it (2)
Remote sensing
Satellite mapping of land use
In one line: Remote sensing uses satellite or aerial images to study land.
Use
Mapping forests, crops and land use.
Limit
Needs ground truthing to avoid errors.
Where to go next
- Ecologically Sensitive Area: The legal protection tool
Prelims-style quiz
The Kasturirangan group proposed about what share of the Ghats as ESA?
- 20%
- 50%
- 64%
- 37%
Show answer
Answer: (d) 37%. About 37%.
Consider the following:
1. It separated natural and cultural landscapes.
2. Its ESA has been finally notified.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1 only. Only drafts have been issued.
The Kasturirangan report was submitted in:
- 2018
- 2013
- 2011
- 2015
Show answer
Answer: (b) 2013. 2013.
Which is banned in the proposed ESA?
- Mining
- Farming
- Tourism
- Housing repairs
Show answer
Answer: (a) Mining. Mining and quarrying.