Nov 25- A central government committee on the Western Ghats is scheduled to arrive in Goa tomorrow to deliberate and finalize the list of villages to be included as ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in the region. Goa government has proposed identifying 87 villages as ESAs, differing from the Centre’s current recommendation, which includes 108 villages. The visit is expected to involve discussions with local stakeholders and state officials to resolve the discrepancies and finalize the boundaries. The designation of ESAs is critical for balancing development and environmental conservation in the Western Ghats, a UNESCO-recognized biodiversity hotspot.
