Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan on Thursday paid tributes to noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil following his death, recalling his contributions to environmental protection.

Gadgil, known for his work on the conservation of the Western Ghats, passed away in Pune on Wednesday after a brief illness, according to family sources. He was 83.

Expressing condolences, Vijayan, in a statement issued by his office, said the ecologist's views on environmental issues had influenced environmentalism in the state.

"Through his teachings and research, Gadgil made significant contributions to discussions on environmental protection," the CM said.

"His views have been discussed at different levels in debates on development and the environment," Vijayan added.

Satheesan paid tribute by recalling that Gadgil dedicated his life to environmental protection and nature studies, for which he was honored with the Padma Bhushan.

"The central points of his philosophy were human-centred environmental protection and management, balanced development, and decentralised governance. He constantly emphasised that the country's natural wealth must be preserved for future generations. He faced criticism with equanimity and scientific awareness," the opposition leader said in a statement issued by his office.

Gadgil was the founder of the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), popularly known as the Gadgil Commission.

He had chaired the government-appointed panel to study the impact of population pressure, climate change, and development activities on the ecologically fragile region of the Western Ghats.

Gadgil had submitted a landmark report recommending that a significant portion of the Western Ghats be designated as ecologically sensitive.