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In the latest notification on December 31, 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change amended the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, extending the deadline to notify the new rules till June 30, 2022, due to the Covid pandemic.
In the Lok Sabha election of 2019 too, the Western Ghats ecology reports had little influence on the electorate in spite of parties trying to rake it up.
Kasturirangan Report was far milder than the stringent provisions of the Gadgil Report, yet the ministry has not been able to fully notify the recommendations due to protests from Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
As the 3,115 sq. km land at the Western Ghats in the state gets the exemption from tough eco regulations, the areas open up for construction and industries.
The HLWG expresses shock at the 'perfunctory' manner in which Gadgil and team branded the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive
Gadgil also said the Kasturirangan report did not give special attention to the water resources in the Western Ghats.