No mining activities in Western Ghats, says Environment Ministry.

The ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats will remain off-bounds for new mining, sand mining, quarrying and some category of industrial activities, the Ministry of Environment and Forests said.

But under pressure from States such as Kerala, the Ministry permitted agriculture and plantation activities along the Western Ghats. Existing projects will be allowed to continue.

In a memorandum issued recently, the Ministry endorsed the recommendations of the high-level working group under K. Kasturirangan, Member (Science), Planning Commission, that all destructive industrial activities, including mining and thermal power plants, should be banned in the region.

HBL