Last Updated: 28.08.24

Satara district has always been of special interest to BEAG.

BEAG had worked for decades to have Satara district’s Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani area to be declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone by the Government of India.

While the Government of India had recognized the need to protect and conserve the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani area by declaring it an Eco-Sensitive Zone, Satara district’s unique rocky plateaus were still in need of protection.

BEAG requested the state government of Maharashtra to declare the clusters of three rocky plateaus in Satara district a Conservation Zone under the state’s  MRTP Act. The state government confers Conservation Zone to areas that are of ecological and environmental importance or of natural beauty worthy of preservation, conservation or restoration.

Without protection, the rocky plateaus and the biodiversity they supported would not survive, BEAG was convinced.

Although the rich biodiversity on the rocky plateaus has a high percentage of endemic species, the seasonal nature of the habitat and the lack of woody plants had caused them to be classified as ‘barren lands’ in the Wasteland Atlas of India. The classification opened the door to many developmental projects that had no regard for the ecological uniqueness of the rocky plateaus.

Things changed in 2012. Kaas plateau, relatively unknown in India, was declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012. The ecological significance and beauty of Kaas plateau had been internationally acknowledged, but the recognition did not come without a fallout. The number of tourists visiting the plateau suddenly increased to such an extent that there was a real danger of Kaas being ruined due to trampling and litter.

Kaas being ruined due to trampling Picture Credits : Aparna Watve

India’s laws protect animals, wild life, flora and fauna, as well as man-made monuments and archaeological sites but not unique geo-morphological sites such as the plateaus of Satara district. Most of the natural wonders in the country are protected largely because they happen to be located within protected forest areas. Many sites located outside forests and protected areas have already been destroyed or are likely to be destroyed due to unplanned development activities or sheer neglect since they are not legally recognized as natural or cultural heritage sites.

In 2015, BEAG requested the Satara district administration to declare three rocky plateau clusters in the district a Conservation Zone—the Kaas plateau (15.51 square kilometres), the Chalkewadi-Patan plateau (54.93 square kilometres) and the Mhavashi-SadaVaghapur plateau (14.2 square kilometres)

The Satara Planning Board suggested that BEAG start by presenting its case to the Land Use Committee. On June 9, 2015, BEAG gave a detailed presentation to the Land Use Committee on the need to include the three clusters of rocky plateaus in the Conservation Zone in the Satara Regional Plan.

Based on the recommendation of the Land Use Committee, on February 17, 2016, BEAG was invited to make a presentation before the Satara Planning Board.

The Satara Planning Board accepted BEAG’s Conservation Zone proposal in principle and requested BEAG to provide additional details to the state’s Study Group for Environment, Tourism and Heritage.

In 2017, BEAG’s Conservation Zone proposal was finally endorsed and forwarded to Satara district’s Office of Town Planning for inclusion in the Satara draft Regional Plan.

BEAG was invited by the Satara Planning Committee to work with the sub-committee finalizing the regulations and submission to the Regional Planning Board.

On March 30, 2017, the draft Regional Plan was published by the state Urban Development Department (UDD) for public suggestions and objections.

As part of its suggestions and objections, BEAG submitted a detailed Conservation Zone Management Plan and also attended the hearing of the Satara Planning Committee on August 21, 2017.

 BEAG had already started proactively to work with the Office of Town Planning to formulate the Development Control and Promotions Regulations (DCPRs) for Satara District and to prepare, with the help of an architect firm, village maps demarcating the  planned conservation zone.

The final Regional Plan for Satara district  was published on October 14, 2018. The plan designated the three rocky plateau clusters a Conservation Zone. BEAG’s hard work and persistence had paid off.