Pune NGT Directs MOEF&CC To Finalize Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Area Notification
NGT Seeks Report On Encroached Forest Land In Pune, Directs District Collector To Clarify Status
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Western Zone Bench in Pune has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) to finalize the Western Ghats eco-sensitive area notification.
The decision follows a petition filed by social activist Lalita Shinde, represented by Advocates Lakshyaved Odhekar and Indrayani Patani, against the Trimbakeshwar Municipal Council in 2023. Shinde’s petition, filed with the NGT, aimed to halt ongoing construction and mining activities in the Brahmagiri area of Nashik, citing environmental dangers. She argued that illegal construction and excavation in the foothills of Brahmagiri could lead to landslides and severe environmental damage. Shinde pointed out that much of the area is forest land, and no proper investigation had been conducted.
An expert committee led by the Nashik collector was appointed by the NGT to review the situation. The committee’s report concluded that the construction in Brahmagiri was not illegal. However, Shinde objected, emphasizing potential environmental harm from these activities.
NGT Judicial Members Dinesh Kumar Singh and Dr. Vijay Kulkarni noted that the Brahmagiri area might not be deemed an eco-sensitive zone yet but stressed that the MOEF&CC should expedite its decision on the draft notification.
During the proceedings, Shinde’s lawyer, Lakshyaved Odhekar, referred to a draft notification from the MOEF&CC dated July 6, 2022, which proposed declaring around 1,500 sq km of the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive zone. Odhekar argued that any construction in this area could be detrimental to the environment.
