Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Notification Expiry Sparks Debate

A draft notification that would have designated the Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive region has expired, according to recent reports. The notification had been pending for several months and was expected to introduce stricter controls on development and land use within the area. With the expiry, the Western Ghats remains without the additional regulatory framework that would have been introduced, leaving its status uncertain until a new directive is issued.