On 8 September 2026, we submitted a resolution to Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Government of Karnataka on behalf of the interstate forum representing multiple organizations across the Western Ghats including Kerala, TamilNadu, Maharasthra and Karnataka setting out four asks for the Western Ghats.
The asks look at taking the ESA forward as a minimum protection framework while addressing the concerns of people living within these landscapes and strengthening the protection and support needed for the Western Ghats.
How these asks came together
On September 5 and 6, 2026, representatives from organisations across the Western Ghats, from Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu, came together for an inter-state discussion at Bangaramakki, Gerusoppa, in the heart of the Western Ghats.
Inter-state Western Ghats discussion, Bangaramakki, Gerusoppa | September 5th & 6th, 2026
We discussed the concerns being raised by people living in these landscapes, the threats the Western Ghats are facing, and why protecting them matters not just for biodiversity, but also for the rivers and water that millions of people depend on.
From these discussions, we came together on four key asks for protecting the Western Ghats while recognising the concerns of the people who live here.
OUR FIRST ASK
Karnataka Government should NOT reject the 7th draft ESA notification
We urge the Government of Karnataka not to reject the 7th Draft Western Ghats ESA Notification and to write to the MoEFCC supporting its finalisation as a necessary minimum protection framework. Protecting the Western Ghats means protecting the forests, rivers and ecological systems that sustain the water, health and livelihoods of people within the Ghats and far beyond.
The State Government should clearly place in the public domain its specific concerns with the proposed ESA. Genuine concerns of farmers, residents and local communities should be addressed through consultation, safeguards, clarifications and, where required, subsequent amendments rather than by rejecting or indefinitely delaying the ESA.
The proposed ESA is itself not a comprehensive protection regime. It should therefore be finalised now and strengthened subsequently to address activities that continue to threaten or fragment the Western Ghats.
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OUR SECOND ASK
Complete BAN on all proposed river diversion projects in the Western Ghats
Rivers in the Western Ghats are not merely channels carrying water that can be dammed, diverted or transferred. They are ecological systems connecting forests, streams, wetlands, groundwater, biodiversity and people.
We call for a BAN on ANY river-diversion and inter-basin water transfer projects in the Western Ghats. This includes river-diversion proposals affecting the Aghanashini, Mhadei, Kali, Netravati, Punnapuzha and Nallar rivers.
OUR THIRD ASK
Complete BAN on all proposed pumped storage and any hydropower projects including small scale below 25 MW
Rivers in the Western Ghats are not merely channels carrying water that can be dammed, diverted or transferred. They are ecological systems connecting forests, streams, wetlands, groundwater, biodiversity and people.
We call for a BAN on ANY proposed pumped-storage projects and hydropower projects (including projects below 25 MW) in the Western Ghats. This includes all the projects proposed in the Sharavati, Kali, Kollur, Chakra, Varahi, Sita, Manhole, Hulagi and Kaveri river systems.
OUR FOURTH ASK
Make the 2018 carrying-capacity report public and act on its recommendations
Following directions of the NGT, an Expert Committee constituted by MoEFCC submitted its Report of Carrying Capacity of Environmentally Sensitive Areas in the Western Ghats Region of Karnataka in July 2018. A March 2026 Deccan Herald report states that the assessment classified 1,281 villages as very highly sensitive and recommended them as “no go” areas for developmental activities. It also recommended cumulative-impact assessment of more than 26 hydropower projects and their impacts on rivers. Deccan Herald, March 2026
We call upon the Government to make the 2018 report public, place the action taken on its recommendations in the public domain and ensure that its findings are considered before permitting any further projects in the Western Ghats.
What next?
Our 4 Asks came from the understanding we had then. Since then, there have been many learnings from the review of the 2018 expert committee report obtained through RTI and the detailed analysis for Udupi and Kodagu districts.
This has brought up additional gaps and recommendations that are not fully captured in our original 4 Asks.
