Prof. Madhav Gadgil, who authored the first report on the impact of mining on the Western Ghats, has blasted the government for their decision to set up a second panel to review its findings following criticism by Kerala and Karnataka state governments.

The move, Prof. Gadgil believed, could not have come at a more inappropriate time especially since, after much delay, the report was put up on the ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) website with public comments sought up to the middle of this month.