{"id":30506,"date":"2026-09-30T17:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=30506"},"modified":"2026-09-30T17:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:34:14","slug":"western-ghats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/western-ghats\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Ghats, Formation, Rivers, Biodiversity, Threats"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats are an ancient mountain system running parallel to India\u2019s western coast, extending for about 1,600 km across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They significantly influence the Indian monsoon by intercepting southwest monsoon winds and shaping regional rainfall and drainage. The range is internationally recognised as one of the world\u2019s major biodiversity hotspots, supporting thousands of plant species and numerous endemic and threatened species. Its forests, rivers, mountains and ecosystems provide important ecological services, including water security, climate regulation and habitat protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats also hold global geological and evolutionary significance and contain several protected areas and UNESCO World Heritage components. However, habitat loss, infrastructure, tourism, quarrying, and climate change pose growing challenges.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Geological Formation<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats are an ancient geomorphic feature whose evolution is closely associated with the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent, subsequent rifting of the Indian landmass, uplift, faulting, volcanism in parts of the region and prolonged erosion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Gondwana connection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Indian landmass was once part of the ancient Gondwana supercontinent.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rifting and continental breakup:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> During the breakup of Gondwana, India separated from other continental fragments, accompanied by major tectonic and volcanic processes along its western margin.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Formation of the western escarpment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Ghats developed as a major escarpment along the western margin of the Peninsular Plateau through a combination of uplift, faulting, rifting and subsequent erosion.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Deccan Volcanism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the northern and central Western Ghats, extensive <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/deccan-traps\/\" target=\"_blank\">Deccan Traps<\/a><\/strong> basaltic volcanism around the end-Cretaceous period contributed to the geological character of the region.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Long-term erosion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Weathering, river erosion, and differential erosion progressively shaped the present-day relief, steep western escarpments, valleys, and plateaus.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Biological evolution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Long geological isolation, varied elevation, climate, and habitat diversity promoted species diversification and high endemism.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30508 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30144714\/WESTERN-GHATS-1.png\" alt=\"Western Ghats\" width=\"753\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30144714\/WESTERN-GHATS-1.png 1516w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30144714\/WESTERN-GHATS-1-768x526.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 753px) 100vw, 753px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Geography and Location<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The geography of the Ghats is characterised by a north-south mountain chain, steep western slopes, varied elevations and numerous valleys and gaps across Peninsular India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30511 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145452\/Western-Ghats-2.png\" alt=\"Western Ghats\" width=\"822\" height=\"885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145452\/Western-Ghats-2.png 1208w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145452\/Western-Ghats-2-768x828.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats extend through:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gujarat<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maharashtra<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Goa<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The range runs parallel to the Arabian Sea coast and forms an important transition between the western coastal belt and the interior Deccan Plateau. Important Geographical Features<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Length:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Approximately 1,600 km.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Generally 30\u201350 km inland from the western coast.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Palghat Gap<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A major break in the mountain chain.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Average elevation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Ghats are generally higher and more continuous than the Eastern Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Slope:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The western side is generally steeper, while the eastern side connects more gradually with the Deccan Plateau.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Watershed role:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The range forms an important watershed for several major Peninsular rivers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Major Mountain Ranges and Hills<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats consist of several interconnected mountain ranges and highland groups that vary considerably in elevation, geology, vegetation, and ecological characteristics.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sahyadri Range<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Sahyadri forms an important northern and central section of the Western Ghats, particularly across Maharashtra and adjoining regions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Nilgiri Hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Nilgiri Hills occur near the meeting zone of the Western and Eastern Ghats and contain important high-elevation forests and grasslands.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Anaimalai Hills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Anaimalai Hills form a high mountain region in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and contain Anamudi, the highest peak of the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cardamom Hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Cardamom Hills form an important highland region of the southern Western Ghats, particularly in Kerala, with extensions towards Tamil Nadu and are characterised by high rainfall, forests and important plantation landscapes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agasthyamalai Hills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Agasthyamalai Hills lie in the southern Western Ghats and are recognised for their high <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/biodiversity\/\" target=\"_blank\">biodiversity<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, endemic species and forest <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/ecosystem\/\" target=\"_blank\">ecosystems<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Kudremukh Hills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Kudremukh Hills in Karnataka form an important highland landscape characterised by forests, grasslands, steep slopes and rich biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Highest Peaks of Western Ghats<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The major peaks of the Western Ghats represent the high-elevation landscapes of the Peninsular mountain system. <\/span><b>Anamudi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, at about <\/span><b>2,695 m<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is the highest peak of the Western Ghats and the highest point of the Peninsular Plateau.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30510 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145143\/WESTERN-GHATS-HILLS-1.webp\" alt=\"Western Ghats\" width=\"424\" height=\"602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145143\/WESTERN-GHATS-HILLS-1.webp 850w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30145143\/WESTERN-GHATS-HILLS-1-768x1090.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 88.816%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 34.2183%\"><strong>Peak<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 22.1239%\"><strong>Elevation<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 169.875%\"><strong>Location<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anamudi<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2,695 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doddabetta<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2,637 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meesapulimala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">~2,640 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mukurthi Peak<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">~2,556 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kudremukh<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">~1,894 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 34.2183%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agasthyamalai<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.1239%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">~1,868 m<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 169.875%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala\u2013Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 94.2886%;height: 491px\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 50%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30512 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150316\/Western-Ghats-Anaimalai.png\" alt=\"Western Ghats\" width=\"398\" height=\"504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150316\/Western-Ghats-Anaimalai.png 1115w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150316\/Western-Ghats-Anaimalai-768x972.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 50%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30513 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150406\/Western-Ghats-Dodabetta.png\" alt=\"Western Ghats\" width=\"407\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150406\/Western-Ghats-Dodabetta.png 1122w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/09\/30150406\/Western-Ghats-Dodabetta-768x960.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px\" \/><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: inherit;font-size: 35px;font-style: inherit\">Western Ghats Rivers and Drainage<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats function as a major watershed of Peninsular India, giving rise to numerous rivers that flow towards both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Major East-Flowing Rivers:\u00a0<\/b>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Godavari:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It rises near Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra and flows eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Krishna:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Originates near Mahabaleshwar and flows eastward across the Deccan Plateau.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Kaveri<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Rises at Talakaveri in Karnataka and flows towards the Bay of Bengal.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tungabhadra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers and ultimately joins the Krishna system.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bhima<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: An important tributary of the Krishna.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Major West-Flowing Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Periyar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: An important river of Kerala draining towards the Arabian Sea.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Sharavathi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A major Karnataka river flowing westward and associated with Jog Falls.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Netravati<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A significant west-flowing river of Karnataka.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mandovi:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> An important river system of Goa originating in the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most major peninsular rivers originating on\/near the Ghats flow eastward towards the Bay of Bengal, whereas numerous shorter rivers flow westward towards the Arabian Sea.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Biodiversity<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The biodiversity of the Western Ghats is exceptionally rich, with high levels of species diversity and endemism, making the region one of the world's major biodiversity hotspots.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats\u2013Sri Lanka region is recognised as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, while UNESCO describes the Western Ghats as one of the world's eight \u2018hottest hotspots\u2019 of biological diversity.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region contains tropical evergreen forests, montane grasslands, Shola forests and specialised wetland habitats. <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">UNESCO<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> records approximately:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">4,000\u20135,000 plant species<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nearly 650 tree species<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">352 tree species endemic to the Western Ghats<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Up to 179 amphibian species, around 65% endemic<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">157 reptile species, around 62% endemic<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">219 fish species, around 53% endemic<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats also contain at least 325 globally threatened species recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage property.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Important Flora and Fauna<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats support exceptional biodiversity, including several endemic, threatened, and iconic species, along with diverse forest, grassland, wetland, and riverine ecosystems. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats provide habitat to several important mammals and other wildlife, including<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Lion-tailed macaque<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: An endemic primate associated with the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Nilgiri tahr<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: An endemic mountain ungulate found mainly in high-altitude grassland and shola habitats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Nilgiri langur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A primate closely associated with the forests of the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Asian elephant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Found across several forest landscapes and wildlife corridors.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tiger<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Protected in several tiger reserves within the Western Ghats landscape.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Gaur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A major large herbivore occurring in forest ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Grizzled giant squirrel<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Found in parts of the Western Ghats and associated forest habitats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Endemic amphibians and reptiles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The region supports numerous species with restricted geographical ranges.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Important Ecosystems<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tropical evergreen forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Dense, species-rich forests supporting numerous endemic plants and animals.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Shola forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Montane forests occurring mainly in higher elevations of the southern Western Ghats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Montane grasslands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 High-altitude grasslands closely associated with shola ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Myristica swamps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Important wetland forest ecosystems with specialised vegetation.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Seasonal wildflower meadows<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Support diverse flowering plants and associated pollinators.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Riverine and wetland ecosystems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Provide habitats for aquatic species and support freshwater biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Important National Parks and Tiger Reserves<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Several protected areas in the Western Ghats conserve important habitats and wildlife. Important examples include<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 92.7852%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 30.3607%\"><strong>Protected Area<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 10.5211%\"><strong>State<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 51.1022%\"><strong>Major Wildlife\/Significance<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Silent Valley National Park<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Evergreen forests, lion-tailed macaque and rich endemic biodiversity<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eravikulam National Park<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nilgiri tahr, montane grasslands and shola ecosystems<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, Asian elephant, gaur and diverse forest ecosystems<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bandipur Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, elephant, gaur and major wildlife corridors<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagarhole Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, elephant, gaur and moist deciduous forests<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Elephants, tigers and connectivity with neighbouring forest landscapes<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anamalai Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, elephant, lion-tailed macaque and diverse Western Ghats habitats<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kalakkad\u2013Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Evergreen forests, rivers and high biodiversity<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mudumalai Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, elephant, gaur and Nilgiri landscape biodiversity<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bhadra Tiger Reserve<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tiger, elephant, gaur and forest ecosystems<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 30.3607%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kali Tiger Reserve (formerly Dandeli\u2013Anshi Tiger Reserve)<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 10.5211%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Karnataka<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 51.1022%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats forests, hornbills and large mammals<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats as a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012 under Criteria (ix) and (x) for their ecological and evolutionary significance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The UNESCO property is a serial site comprising 39 component parts grouped into seven sub-clusters. This arrangement reflects the considerable variation in species composition and ecological characteristics along the approximately 1,600-km mountain chain. The seven sub-clusters include landscapes associated with:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agasthyamalai<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Periyar<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anamalai<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nilgiri<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Talacauvery<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kudremukh<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sahyadri<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Major Passes and Gaps<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats form a relatively continuous mountain barrier, but several important natural gaps and passes provide routes between the <\/span><b>western coastal plains and the interior Deccan Plateau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. These gaps are important for transportation, trade, settlement, climate and regional connectivity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 95.6909%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 14.0281%\"><b>Pass\/Gap<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 12.0466%\"><b>Location<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 16.2415%\"><b>Connects<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 52.3732%\"><b>Geographical Significance<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Thal Ghat (Kasara Ghat)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 12.0466%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maharashtra<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 16.2415%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mumbai\u2013Nashik<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 52.3732%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Important road and railway corridor through the northern Western Ghats; provides a route from the Konkan coast towards the Deccan interior.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Bhor Ghat<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 12.0466%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maharashtra<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 16.2415%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mumbai\u2013Pune<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 52.3732%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major transport corridor across the Sahyadris, historically important for railway and road connectivity between Mumbai and the Deccan Plateau.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Palakkad Gap (Palghat Gap)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 12.0466%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala\u2013 Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 16.2415%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Palakkad \u2013 Coimbatore<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 52.3732%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A broad natural gap between the Nilgiri Hills and Anaimalai Hills; an important transport corridor and a major passage for air masses between the western coast and the interior of Tamil Nadu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Shencottah (Senkottai) Gap<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 12.0466%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerala\u2013 Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 16.2415%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Southern Kerala\u2013southern Tamil Nadu<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 52.3732%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Important natural break in the southern Western Ghats, providing road and railway connectivity between the two states.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Significance<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The significance of the Western Ghats extends beyond biodiversity because the mountains influence India's climate, water resources, agriculture, forests, livelihoods and cultural landscapes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Biodiversity Conservation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Ghats contain exceptional species diversity and endemism and provide habitats for numerous threatened species.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Water Security:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The mountains act as a major watershed and provide catchments for important Peninsular rivers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Climate and Monsoon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The mountain barrier influences the southwest monsoon and contributes to regional rainfall patterns.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Agriculture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Western Ghats landscapes support plantation crops, spices, horticulture and agriculture in surrounding regions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hydropower<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The steep terrain and perennial or seasonal rivers provide important sites for hydropower generation.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Forest Resources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The forests provide ecosystem services including soil protection, water regulation, carbon storage and habitat support.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tourism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mountain landscapes, waterfalls, forests, wildlife reserves and hill stations support tourism and associated livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geological and Cultural Value:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> UNESCO recognises the Western Ghats for their geological, cultural and aesthetic values, in addition to their ecological importance.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Major Threats<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The major threats to the Western Ghats arise from habitat fragmentation, infrastructure expansion, resource extraction, pollution, climate variability and increasing pressure from human activities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Deforestation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Conversion of forests for agriculture, plantations, settlements and infrastructure can reduce habitat quality and connectivity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Habitat Fragmentation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Roads, railways, transmission lines and other <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/infrastructure\/\" target=\"_blank\">infrastructure<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can divide previously connected habitats.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mining and Quarrying<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Extraction activities can alter slopes, disturb habitats and affect local drainage systems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hydropower and Infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Large infrastructure projects can modify river systems, forests and mountain slopes when environmental safeguards are inadequate.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tourism Pressure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Unplanned tourism can increase waste, traffic, water demand and construction pressure in ecologically sensitive locations.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Climate Change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Changing temperature and rainfall patterns can affect forests, endemic species, rivers, agriculture and mountain ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Human-Wildlife Conflict<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Habitat loss and fragmentation can bring wildlife increasingly into contact with agricultural and human settlements.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Invasive Species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Invasive plants can alter native habitats and affect ecological processes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Landslides and Extreme Rainfall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Heavy rainfall combined with steep terrain, geological conditions and land-use changes can increase landslide vulnerability.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Committees for Conservation<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Several expert groups and institutional mechanisms have contributed to debates over conservation, ecological sensitivity and sustainable development in the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel \u2014 Gadgil Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), chaired by Prof. Madhav Gadgil, was constituted to examine the ecological sensitivity of the Western Ghats and recommend measures for its conservation and sustainable management.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its approach emphasised ecologically sensitive areas, decentralised governance, biodiversity conservation and regulation of environmentally damaging activities.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The panel evaluated the region at the taluka level, classifying all 142 talukas into Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2, and 3 based on ecological fragility.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>High Level Working Group \u2014 Kasturirangan Committee:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The High Level Working Group (HLWG), chaired by Dr K. Kasturirangan, was subsequently constituted to examine the conservation and development issues of the Western Ghats. The group used geospatial analysis to identify ecologically sensitive areas.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The committee sought to balance environmental protection with the developmental and livelihood requirements of local populations.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instead of treating the entire range uniformly, the committee used remote sensing technology to separate the Ghats into a Cultural Landscape (59% human settlements, agriculture) and a Natural Landscape (41% high biodiversity).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It recommended bringing 37% (about 60,000 sq km) under the strict ESA legal umbrella.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Western Ghats Natural Heritage Management Committee:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> UNESCO records the Western Ghats Natural Heritage Management Committee (WGNHMC) as a coordination mechanism under the Ministry of Environment and Forests for integrating management across the World Heritage components.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The UNESCO framework also notes that the 39 component sites are managed through specific management or working plans and that local community participation is supported through Village Ecodevelopment Committees.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Conservation Measures<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conservation of the Western Ghats is supported through protected areas, forest laws, wildlife legislation, World Heritage management and ecological-sensitivity measures.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The UNESCO property is covered by different protection regimes, including <\/span><b>Tiger Reserves, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserved Forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. UNESCO also notes the relevance of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wildlife-protection-act-1972\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972<\/b><\/a><b>, the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980<\/span><b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for the protection of the component areas.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change continues to maintain a framework of Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notifications and draft notifications. Its current website lists a 27 July 2026 draft notification concerning the Western Ghats ESA, demonstrating that the regulatory process remains active.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Total proposed ESA:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> About 56,825.7 sq km of the Western Ghats is proposed to be declared ecologically sensitive.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>States covered:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The proposed ESA extends across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>State-wise proposed area:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Gujarat \u2013 449 sq km; Maharashtra \u2013 17,340 sq km; Goa \u2013 1,461 sq km; Karnataka \u2013 20,668 sq km; Tamil Nadu \u2013 6,914 sq km; Kerala \u2013 9,993.7 sq km.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Legal basis:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The draft is proposed under Section 3 of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/environment-protection-act-1986\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Environment (Protection) Act 1986<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, read with the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats Difference<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Eastern and Western Ghats form the major mountain systems of Peninsular India, but they differ considerably in their continuity, elevation, rainfall, drainage, biodiversity and geographical characteristics.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 97.494%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 13.5271%\"><b>Basis<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 41.6087%\"><b>Western Ghats<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 41.4575%\"><b>Eastern Ghats<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Location<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Run along the western margin of the Peninsular Plateau, broadly parallel to the Arabian Sea coast.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Extend along the eastern margin of the Peninsular Plateau, broadly parallel to the Bay of Bengal coast.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Extent<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stretches for about 1,600 km from the western part of Gujarat towards southern Tamil Nadu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Extends discontinuously from Odisha through Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to Tamil Nadu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Continuity<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relatively continuous, although interrupted by important gaps such as the Palghat Gap.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Discontinuous and fragmented, with several river valleys cutting across the hills.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Elevation<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally higher and more prominent than the Eastern Ghats.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally lower and more eroded than the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Highest Peak<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anamudi (2,695 m) in Kerala is the highest peak.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jindhagada Peak in Andhra Pradesh is among the highest points of the Eastern Ghats.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major Hills\/Ranges<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sahyadri, Nilgiri, Anaimalai, Cardamom and Agasthyamalai ranges.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nallamala, Palkonda, Velikonda, Javadi and Mahendragiri hills.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rainfall<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Receives heavy rainfall from the southwest monsoon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally receives less southwest monsoon rainfall; southeastern sections are also influenced by the northeast monsoon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Monsoon Role<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acts as a major barrier to southwest monsoon winds and causes orographic rainfall.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its discontinuous nature makes it a less effective barrier to monsoon winds.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drainage<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gives rise to several important rivers, including the Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri, while numerous short rivers flow westward.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major east-flowing rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri cut through the range.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Biodiversity<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the world's major biodiversity hotspots, with exceptionally high levels of endemism.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports significant forests and biodiversity, but generally has lower levels of endemism than the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vegetation<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tropical evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, shola forests and montane grasslands are prominent.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deciduous forests, scrub and dry forests are more widespread.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Geographical Significance<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Strongly influences the climate, rainfall, river systems and biodiversity of Peninsular India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acts as an important eastern highland system but is more deeply dissected by rivers and erosion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.5271%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UNESCO Status<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.6087%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Parts of the Western Ghats are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage property because of their exceptional biodiversity and evolutionary significance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 41.4575%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Eastern Ghats do not have a comparable single UNESCO World Heritage designation for the entire mountain system<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats Way Forward<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The way forward for the Western Ghats requires an integrated approach that protects ecological connectivity while accommodating sustainable livelihoods and carefully planned development.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Strengthen ecologically sensitive zoning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Identify and protect ecologically fragile landscapes using updated scientific data.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Protect wildlife corridors:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Maintain connectivity between fragmented forests and protected areas.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Regulate mining and quarrying:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Restrict environmentally damaging extraction in highly sensitive landscapes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Improve infrastructure planning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Incorporate cumulative ecological and geological assessments before major projects.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Adopt river-basin planning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Manage rivers, catchments, forests and hydropower projects as interconnected systems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Promote sustainable agriculture:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Encourage agroforestry, soil conservation and climate-resilient farming.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Strengthen disaster preparedness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Improve landslide mapping, rainfall monitoring and early-warning systems.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Promote responsible tourism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ensure tourism remains compatible with local ecological carrying capacity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Restore degraded ecosystems:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Rehabilitate fragmented forests, wetlands, grasslands and river catchments.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Control invasive species:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Strengthen monitoring and removal programmes for ecologically harmful invasive species.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Empower local communities:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Include forest-dependent communities in conservation decisions and livelihood planning.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Improve Centre-State coordination:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Strengthen coordination among governments, scientific institutions, protected-area authorities and local bodies.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Western Ghats UPSC PYQs<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><b>Q1.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Consider the following statements: <\/span><b>(UPSC Prelims 2017)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Western Ghats are spread over five States only.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which of the statements given above is\/are correct?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a) 1 and 2 only<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">b) 3 only<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">c) 2 and 3 only<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">d) 1 and 3 only\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Ans: (b)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Q2.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2018Gadgil Committee Report\u2019 and \u2018Kasturirangan Committee Report\u2019, sometimes seen in the news, are related to: <\/span><b>(UPSC Prelims 2016)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a) Constitutional reforms<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">b) Ganga Action Plan<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">c) Linking of rivers<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">d) Protection of Western Ghats<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Ans: (d)<\/b><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Western Ghats are an ancient mountain system running parallel to India\u2019s western coast, extending for about 1,600 km across 6 states. Read about its formation, rivers, and biodiversity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":30526,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,24],"tags":[40,620,2085],"class_list":["post-30506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-notes","category-upsc-geography-notes","tag-quest","tag-upsc-geography-notes","tag-western-ghats"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30506"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30534,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30506\/revisions\/30534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}