*"Report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel - Part I - Annexures : Annexure A: Establishment of Expert Panel on Western Ghats :-

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Sub : *"Report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel - Part I -  Annexures : Annexure A: Establishment of Expert Panel on Western Ghats :-

Ref : Annexures -

Annexures A: Establishment of Expert Panel on Western Ghats :-

No.1/1/2010- RE (ESZ)
Government of India
Ministry of Environment & Forests
(RE Division)
****
Paryavaran Bhavan,
CGO Complex, Lodi Road,
New Delhi – 110 003
Dated: March 4, 2010

OFFICE ORDER

Sub: Constitution of Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel :-

1. The Western Ghats region runs to a length of 1600 kilometers starting from the mouth of the river Tapti near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra to Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India in Tamil Nadu covering six states namely; Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat (portions of Dang Forests). The region covers an area of about 1.60 lac square kilometers.

2. The Western Ghats Region generally receives 500 mm to 7000 mm of rainfall. Most of the rivers in peninsular India have their origin in Western Ghats of which Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Kali Nadi and Periyar are of inter – state importance. These water resources have been harnessed for irrigation and power. About 30% of the area of the Western Ghats Region is under forests. The region is also a treasure house of plant and animal life. The Western Ghats is one of the four Biodiversity hotspots of the country. The region harbors 1,741 species of flowering pants and 403 species of birds. Notable wildlife includes the tiger, elephant, the Indian bison, lion-tailed macaque, wynad laughing thrush, Travancore tortoise, uropeltid snakes, several species of legless amphibians and dipterocarp trees.

3. The traditional horticultural crops in the region are arecanut, pepper and cardamom in the hills and coconuts in the coast along with mango and jack fruit. Tea, coffee, rubber, cashew and tapioca are the other important plantation crops of the region. This region has one of the world’s highest concentrations of wild relatives of cultivated plants. Some of the National parks situated in this region are the Borivali National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Bandipur National Park, Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar National Park, etc.

4. The ecological and environmental problems of the area include increasing pressure of population and industry including tourism on land and vegetation; submergence of forest areas under river valley projects, encroachment on forest lands; mining operations, clear felling of natural forests for raising tea, coffee, rubber, eucalyptus, wattle and other monoculture plantations; infrastructural projects such as railway lines and roads, soil erosion, land slides; habitat fragmentation and rapidly declining biodiversity.

5. Given the environmental sensitivity and ecological significance of the region and the complex interstate nature of its geography, as well as the possible impacts of climate change on this region, it is proposed to constitute a Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel.



6. The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel is hereby constituted with the following members for a period of one year from the date of issue of this order, namely13 : -

1. Prof. Madhav Gadgil Chairman

Ex-Chairman, Centre for Ecological Sciences,
Indian Institute of Science,
A-18, Spring Flowers, Panchavati
Pashan Road
Pune – 411 008,
Maharashtra.

2. Shri B.J. Krishnan Member
Senior Advocate,
Nilgiris Centre, Hospital Road,
Ootacamund - 643001
Tamil Nadu.

3. Dr. Nandkumar Mukund Kamat, Member
Assistant Professor,
Department of Botany,
Goa University,
Goa.

4. Dr. K.N. Ganeshaiah Member
Ashok Trust for Research in Ecology & Environment
(ATREE),
659 5th A Main, Hebbal
Bengaluru - 560 024, Karnataka.

...................................................................................................................................................................
13 - Dr. Nandkumar Kamat has since resigned from the Panel
- Dr. V.S. Vijayan has been included as a non-official expert member in his individual capacity while Dr. R.V.Varma has become an ex-officio member as Chairman, Kerala State biodiversity Board
...................................................................................................................................................................

5. Dr. V.S. Vijayan Member
Chairman, (ex-officio)
Kerala Biodiversity Board,
Pallimukku, Pettah P. O.
Thiruvananthapuram - 695 024
Kerala.

6. Prof. (Ms.) Renee Borges Member
Centre for Ecological Sciences,
Indian Institute of Science (IISC),
Bengaluru – 560 012, Karnataka.

7. Prof. R. Sukumar, Member
Chairman, Centre for Ecological Sciences,
Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
Bengaluru – 560 012, Karnataka.

8. Dr. Ligia Noronha Member
Director (Resources & Global Security Division),
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI),
Darbari Block, India Habitat Centre,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003.

9. Ms Vidya S. Nayak Member
Nagarika Seva Trust,
Gurvayankere - 574 217,
Belthangadi Taluk,
Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka.

10. Dr. D. K. Subramaniam Member
Professor of Computer Science and Automation,
and Ecological Sciences, IISc, Bengaluru (Retd)
Foundation for Advancement of Education and Research
G5, Swiss Complex, 33, Race Course Road
Bengaluru – 560 001, Karnataka.

11. Dr. P.L. Gautam Member
Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) (ex-officio)
5th Floor, TICEL Bio Park,
Taramani Road, Taramani,
Chennai - 600 113, Tamil Nadu.

12. Prof. S.P. Gautam Member
Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) (ex-officio)
Parivesh Bhavan, CBD-Cum-Office Complex,
East Arjun Nagar, Delhi – 110 032.

13. Dr. R.R. Navalgund Member
Director, Space Application Centre (SAC), (ex-officio)
Ahmedabad – 380 015 Gujarat.

14. Dr. G.V. Subrahmanyam Member-Secretary
Advisor (RE), Ministry of Environment & (ex-officio)
Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.

7. The Panel shall perform, the following functions, namely:-

(i) to assess the current status of ecology of the Western Ghats region.

(ii) to demarcate areas within the Western Ghats Region which need to be notified as ecologically sensitive and to recommend for notification of such areas as ecologically sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. In doing so, the Panel shall review the existing reports such as the Pronab Sen Committee report and Dr. T. S. Vijayraghvan Committee Report, Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directions, Recommendations of the National Board for Wildlife and consult all concerned State Governments.

(iii) to make recommendations for the conservation, protection and rejuvenation of the Western Ghats Region following a comprehensive consultation process involving people and Governments of all the concerned States.

(iv) to suggest measures for effective implementation of the notifications issued by the Government of India in the Ministry of Environment and Forests declaring specific areas in the Western Ghats Region as Eco-sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

(v) to recommend the modalities for the establishment of Western Ghats Ecology Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which will be a professional body to manage the ecology of the region and to ensure its sustainable development with the support of all concerned states.

to deal with any other relevant environment and ecological issues pertaining to Western Ghats Region, including those which may be referred to it by the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

8. The Panel may co-opt any other expert(s) /official (s), if necessary, for taking requisite inputs, with the permission of the Chair.

9. The Panel shall furnish its report to the Central Government through the Ministry of Environment and Forests within six months from the date of its constitution. Additional submissions, if any, may be submitted after this period.

10. The Panel shall have its meetings at Delhi or at any other place within India as decided by the Chair.

11. The TA/DA of non-official members, including co-opted members, if any, for attending the meetings of the Panel and for undertaking site visits, if any, will be met by the Ministry of Environment & Forests as per rules.

12. The non-official members, including co-opted members, if any, are entitled for a sitting fee of Rs. 1000/- per day during the meetings of the Panel.

13. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority and with the concurrence of the Integrated Finance Division of this Ministry, vide their U.O. Note Dy. No. 407/AS & FA / F/10 dated 04-03-2010.

(Dr. G.V. Subrahmanyam)
Adviser (RE)

To
All Members
Copy to :-

1. Pay & Accounts Officer, Principal Pay & Accounts Office, Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi.
2. IFD/B& A Section, Ministry of Environment & Forests.
3. PS to MOS (I/C), E&F. New Delhi
4. PPS to Secretary (E&F)
5. PPS to Addl. Secretary (MFF).
6. Guard File.
7. Spare Copies (10).

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JAIHIND
VANDEMATHARAM