There are many reasons to feel proud to be an Indian; the
Western Ghats should definitely be one of those reasons,
especially for those who love nature. Along the west coast of
India lies one of the world's great tropical forests and
biodiversity hotspots. Kalidasa had likened these ranges to a
comely young maiden, her head near Kanyakumari and feet near
river Tapti. However, the Western Ghats, the main water resource
and backbone of economy for more than 25 crore people in
Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is
now threatened with over-exploitation of its resources by
unsustainable development projects. The recently released
Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) report, a
comprehensive, well-balanced, informative document, suggests
various measures for ensuring sustainable livelihood in and
ecological security of the Ghats. Its message is clear: develop
sustainably and conserve thoughtfully. The report highlights the
need for development-conservation practices to be in the local