PUNE: The state is in the process of declaring areas around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones. Of the 49 national parks and sanctuaries across the state, proposals for declaring eco-sensitive zones around 35 of them have already been sent to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).
"The department has sent the proposals for 44 protected areas to the state government of which 35 have been forwarded to the MoEF. The Union government had sought additional information pertaining to 22 areas, which has also been sent. These areas should be notified shortly," said Vinay Kumar Sinha, additional principal chief conservator of forest (ecotourism and wildlife administration).
There are three protected areas -Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandoli National Park and Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary - in Western Ghats. Sinha said the proposals for eco-sensitive zones in Chandoli and Koyna had already been sent to the Union government, while officials are finalizing the proposal for Radhanagari.
The process for declaration of eco-sensitive zones was set in motion in 2002 when the National Wildlife Board had envisaged that land falling within 10km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries should be declared as eco-sensitive zones under the Environment Protection Act. With feeble response from the states, the Supreme Court had intervened in the matter in 2006. The MoEF had issued guidelines on the issue in February 2011 and the deadline for the notification of the eco-sensitive zones has been revised several times.
"The process to formally declare an eco-sensitive zone takes time as it is a consultative process. Talks have to be held with local communities before the areas are identified," Sinha said.
Forest dept to create awareness on new norms
With the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) notifying about 60,000 square km land in the Western Ghats as eco-sensitive, state forest officials said they will now generate awareness on the new guidelines among people living in these areas.
"The notification has been issued, but people will not come to know about the new norms that are to be followed. We will now focus on informing the public about the changes," said Vinay Kumar Sinha, additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife administration & ecotourism).
Sinha also said that the department will have to set up a regulatory mechanism that will be able to check violations, if any. "We will also try to persuade them to stick to activities that are compatible with the new norms," he added.
BOX 1: Important areas that the notification applies to -
Kas Plateau - Although it is one of the 39 sites that were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it did not have the status of a protected area. The plateau is among the areas notified.
Areas in the vicinity of hill stations like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani and Matheran, which are popular tourist destinations but also contain rich biodiversity.
Areas that lose out:
Privately owned forest lands in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts
Why? A moratorium had been imposed on the sanction of environment clearances for projects in these districts. But this was lifted when the MoEF accepted the Kasturirangan report, which had held that a substantial portion of these districts falls outside the definition of the Western Ghats
MoEF accepts development restrictions:
Complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining.
No thermal power projects to be allowed.
Hydro-power and wind power projects will be subject to restrictions.
All industries categorized as red will be banned.
Complete ban on new building and construction projects more than 20,000 sq km in area.
(However, projects already under consideration will be subject to the existing regulations).
The consent of the gram sabhas will be mandatory for all projects in eco-sensitive areas.
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