Why it is in the news
On 21 September 2026, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the Legislative Assembly that implementing the Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats could threaten livelihoods in 10 districts, and that its proposals had created “an atmosphere of fear” among farmers. Under the Centre's draft, 20,668 sq km of Karnataka's Western Ghats, covering 1,449 villages, would be declared an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
The exam angle
Issue: How should India reconcile ecological protection of a biodiversity hotspot and river source with the livelihoods of people who live and farm within it, and why has a science-based recommendation failed to become law in twelve years?