Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil, who passed away in Pune on January 7 night following a brief illness, had a long association with Karnataka and Bengaluru.
Mr. Gadgil headed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel also known as the Gadgil Committee, which submitted its report in 2011 to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest. The committee, in its report, had made several recommendations to safeguard the fragile Western Ghats. The report had recommended declaring a majority of the Western Ghats running across different States as Eco Sensitive Areas. It had also called for setting up a Western Ghats Authority.
Guidelines for India
Karnataka Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, expressing condolences, said that he was deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Mr. Gadgil.
“Mr. Gadgil, who dedicated his entire life to environmental protection and the survival and conservation of one of the world’s most beautiful places for biodiversity, left us at the age of 83. May his soul rest in peace, and may God give his family and friends the strength to bear the pain of separation,” the Minister said.
