📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Beddome, R. H.; Bentham, George
National
GCCI Calls on Centre to Exclude 21 Villages from Western Ghats Mining Impact Assessment
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 27 Sep 2026, 07:02 AM
👁 10
The Gujarat Green Council (GCCI) has urged the central government to remove 21 villages from the Western Ghats Environmental Impact Assessment list, citing potential mining risks that could threaten local communities and ecosystems.
The Gujarat Green Council (GCCI) has formally requested the central government to excise 21 villages from the Western Ghats Environmental Impact Assessment (ESA) list. The organization argues that mining activities in the region pose significant ecological and social risks to these communities.
GCCI’s statement highlights concerns over potential habitat destruction, water contamination, and disruption of livelihoods that could arise from proposed mining operations. The council emphasizes that the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to diverse flora and fauna and is vital for regional water security.
The central government is responsible for finalizing the ESA list, which determines the areas subject to environmental scrutiny before development projects are approved. GCCI urges that the removal of these villages from the ESA would prevent irreversible damage and safeguard the rights of residents.
No official response from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has been released yet. The council’s appeal comes as part of a broader debate over balancing economic development with environmental conservation in the Western Ghats.
The outcome of this request could set a precedent for how mining proposals are evaluated in ecologically sensitive zones across India.
GCCI’s statement highlights concerns over potential habitat destruction, water contamination, and disruption of livelihoods that could arise from proposed mining operations. The council emphasizes that the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to diverse flora and fauna and is vital for regional water security.
The central government is responsible for finalizing the ESA list, which determines the areas subject to environmental scrutiny before development projects are approved. GCCI urges that the removal of these villages from the ESA would prevent irreversible damage and safeguard the rights of residents.
No official response from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has been released yet. The council’s appeal comes as part of a broader debate over balancing economic development with environmental conservation in the Western Ghats.
The outcome of this request could set a precedent for how mining proposals are evaluated in ecologically sensitive zones across India.