IMPACTS OF GADGIL AND

KASTURIRANGAN REPORTS
Akanksha | Gomathy | Rachna | Sravanti | Surbhi

The situation
In Raghuvamsa, Kalidasa identifies the Western Ghats as a maiden, ever so
young and beautiful, draped in a green sari. Her sari is now slowly faded of its
colour. Man is ripping her to pieces. The solution is not of building walls around
her for keeping men at bay. The question is, how can we both coexist. How can
man her son and daughter save her at the same time serving his self.
Timeline of events
UNESCO submissions : October 13
th
2009
UNESCO letter demand for treatment of nominated area as one unit &
Management system : 18
th
November 2009
Additional information given by India : January 2010 (Creation of WGEEP/WG
management plan explained)
Gadgil committee formation : 4 March 2010.
UNESCO nomination : 15
th
March 2010;
Gadgil report Submitted to MOEF : 30 August 2011.
Gadgil report made public : 23 May 2012 (Delhi High court order &RTI)
UNESCO Map of WGSs accepted : June July 2012
Kasturi rangan committee : 17
th
August 2012
Kasturi rangan committee report : April 15 2013
Accepted in Principle on : October 19 2013.
Order of implementation/Draft : November 13 2013.
Case studies
Included in ESA Thiruvambady
Comes within buffer zone Thamarassery
Excluded from ESA





Collectorate at Calicut during protest against the Gadgil-
Kasturirangan reports

The Stake holders
The Government The farmers
The
Environmentalists
The Church NGOs
Factories, quarries
What are the bureaucratic issues surrounding the reports? Is
it truly a case of environmental terrorism?
1
Who will watch the watchers? 2
Is the question of equity addressed? 3
Questions raised
Frameworks
-Equity
- Decentralisation
- Positive social capital
- Defined property
rights
- Negative Social
capital
- Adverse effects of
bureaucracy
- Lack of Property
rights
POTENTIAL
SUCCESS
FACTORS
CURRENT
DRAWBACKS

What are the bureaucratic issues surrounding the
reports? Is it truly a case of environmental
terrorism?
1
Who will watch the watchers? 2
Is the question of equity addressed? 3
Questions raised
When in doubt, increase bureaucracy
Air
Water
Forest
Wildlife
Biodiversity
Authorities &
Boards
Gadgil report
suggests
formation of
Western
Ghats Ecology
Authority
Another
statutory
body
Utility and
effectivenes
s?
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, amended 1987
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) (Union Territories) Rules, 1983
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules, 1982
-The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003.
-The Central Pollution Control Board (Amendment) Rules, 2012.ce of Chairman)
(Amendment) Rules, 2012
State/Union Territory Minor Forest Produce Act, 2005 - Draft
Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, amended 1988.
The Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill 2013
The National Board for Wild Life Rules, 2003.
The Declaration of Wild Life Stock Rules, 2003.
The Wildlife (Protection) Rules, 1995.
Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Biological Diversity Rules, 2004.
National Ganga River Basin Authority
National Tiger Conservation Authority
National Biodiversity Authority
State Pollution Control Board
Issues faced
Lack of inter-department synergy Environmental terrorism
Corruption
Lack of transparency and
accountability
Recommendations
Inclusive committees
Committees ought to focus on
inherent advantages
Look at detailed implementation
mechanisms rather than just fancy
in the air terms
Bottom-up approach
What are the bureaucratic issues surrounding the
reports? Is it truly a case of environmental
terrorism?
1
Who will watch the watchers? 2
Is the question of equity addressed? 3
Questions raised
Issues
No one rule for all Misuse of power
Misrepresentation of information
Decentralisation claims vs.
implementation
What are the bureaucratic issues surrounding the
reports? Is it truly a case of environmental
terrorism?
1
Who will watch the watchers? 2
Is the question of equity addressed? 3
Questions raised
Equity
Inter-generation equity Intra-generation equity
Rural-urban equity Rich-poor equity
Recommendations
Issues with Gadgils report
In the air terms
Farmer unfriendly
remarks
Utopian ideas like new
electricity lines etc.
Emphasis on native
breeds conflict of
interest
Vague and open to
interpretation
Private-public lands
WGEA
Redundancy in zone
classification (ESA 2 and
ESA3)
Scientific method
(24x24 satellite
imagery)
Conclusions