ECO SENSITIVE ZONE - ENVIRONMENT
News: People’s
concerns about ESZs will be addressed, says Kerala Forests Minister
What's in the news?
● Forests
Minister A.K. Saseendran has said that the Government will adopt all possible
steps to solve the difficulties of local communities regarding Eco-Sensitive
Zones (ESZs).
What are Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)?
● Eco-Sensitive
Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas are areas
within 10 kms around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
● ESZs
are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India under Environment Protection Act 1986.
● In
case of places with sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically
important patches, crucial for landscape linkage, even areas beyond 10 km width
can also be included in the eco-sensitive zone.
● The
basic aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife
Sanctuaries so as to minimize the
negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing
the protected areas.
Key takeaways:
● Environment
Ministry guidelines highlighting that ESZs around national parks, forests and
sanctuaries would function as a “shock
absorber” for the protected areas.
● These
zones would act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to those
involving lesser protection.
Activities Allowed in ESZs:
1. Prohibited activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries
causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc), establishment of major
hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like
hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or any solid
waste or production of hazardous substances.
2. Regulated activities:
Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of
natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture
system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.
3. Permitted activities:
Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic
farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for all
activities.