Q. Which of the following committees recommended declaring more than half of the Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area?
Answer:
Gadgil Committee
Notes: The Gadgil Committee, led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, reported in 2011, recommending that 64% of the Western Ghats be designated as ecologically sensitive, with strict regulations on timber felling and mining. In response to the rejection of this report, the Kasturirangan Committee, headed by K. Kasturirangan, was formed in 2012, suggesting that 37% of the region be classified as ecologically sensitive and proposing a division into cultural and natural lands.