Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) Centre to File Review Petition In SC
Source : The Hindu
GS III : Environment and Conservation

What is discussed under Eco-Sensitive zones (ESZ) Centre to File Review Petition In SC ?

1. What are Eco-Sensitive Zones?
2. What are the challenges to Eco-Sensitive Zones?
3. Way forward

Why in News ?

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has said the Ministry will file a review petition in the Supreme Court urging a relook into its judgment on eco-sensitive zones.

Key Facts

• •  SC had, on June 3, pronounced the verdict to create a one-km Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) around all wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, which is generally considered to affect normal life of people living in such areas of the southern State for decades.
    • The judgment came on a petition instituted for the protection of forest lands in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
    • Scope of that writ petition was enlarged by the court so as to protect such natural resources throughout the country.
  • These zones would act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to those involving lesser protection.
  • Centre would seek a review of Sections 44A and 44E of the judgment as more clarity was required on the issue.
    • Sections pertained to the directive to notify Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) of minimum 1 km from the demarcated boundaries of protected areas, and the exemption provided for ongoing activities within the proposed ESZ, provided they did not figure on the prohibited list.
    • Committee had been formed to adopt a ‘holistic’ approach on the reports of the Kasturirangan and Gagdil committees for the conservation of the Western Ghats.
    • The panel will also consider the representations submitted by the public.

What are Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• • Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
  • The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create some kind of shock absorbers to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
  • Hydroelectric projects, brick kilns, commercial usage of firewood, and discharge of untreated effluents in natural water bodies or land regions are among the activities forbidden in the eco-sensitive zone.

    

Demarcation of such zones

• • An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.
  • Procedure
    • A small group comprised of a Wildlife Warden, an Ecologist, Revenue Department officials, and representatives from local governments was formed to investigate the activities surrounding protected areas.
    • This committee prepares an inventory of land use patterns, different types activities and number of industries around Protected Areas and Wildlife Corridors and Chief Wildlife Warden groups the activities under prohibited, restricted or permissible categories.
    • These are sent to the MoEFCC for further processing and notification
  • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Government can restrict areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries, operations or processes shall be carried out or shall not, subject to certain safeguards.
  • Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 states that central government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carrying on certain operations or processes on the basis of certain considerations.

The term “Eco-Sensitive Zones” is not mentioned in the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986.

• • ESZs should comprise sensitive corridors, connectivity, and biologically significant regions that are critical for landscape connection that are wider than 10 km.
  • No new commercial hotels and resorts shall be permitted within 1 km of the boundary of the protected area or up to the extent of the eco-sensitive zone, whichever is nearer, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities.
  • 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.
  • The government has declared No Development Zones based on the same grounds (NDZs).

Buffer Zone

• • The protected areas are based on the core and buffer model of management, through which local area communities are also protected and benefitted.
  • These areas are meant to act as a transition zone from areas requiring higher protection to those requiring lesser protection.

Benefits of the ESZ

• • Conservation of an endangered species in its natural habitat.
  • Minimise forest depletion.
  • To reduce man-animal conflict.
  • Transition zone from high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
  • Reduce the impact of development in sensitive areas.
  • Curbing poaching of animal.

What are the challenges to Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• • Climate change 
    • Rise in global temperature has generated land, water and ecological stress on the ESZs.
    • The events like increased forest fires, landslide are example for the impact of climate change over ESZ. 
  • Development Activities in the region 
    • Activities of development impact the Eco-Sensitive Zones.
    • For example activities such as construction of dams, roads, urban and rural infrastructures in the ESZ, create interference, leads to the depletion of EZS. 
  • Tourism and Related activities
    • The tourist business in the region has been dominated by mass tourism that leads to the depletion and damage. 
    • This also increased vehicular pollution in the area. 
    • For instance, tourists leave waste behind, such as plastic bags and bottles, which contribute to environmental damage.
    • Government promotes ecotourism contributes business like Hotels and mega resorts dominate the area. 
  • Impact of Local Communities
    • The already existing park regulations have adversely affected the traditional practices of the locals.
    • They have come together not only with the demand to scrap the ESZ but also to raise other livelihood issues.
    • Besides the agriculture activities in the near by regions also impact the ESZ. 
    • On the increasing wild boar menace human wildlife conflict in these areas are increased. 
  • Plantation of Non regions species 
    • The region is dominated by the plantation of non regional species like Eucalyptus, Cardamom etc.
    • These mass  plantation leads to the deforestation of the  region that impact the local species to grow. 

Way forward

• • Centre needs to come up with a plan to incentivise farmers for sticking to green practices in Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs).
  • Government focus on the benefit of the general public in relation to the natural resources so that sustainable development could be achieved in the long term.
  • Rethinking on the impacts of the environmental policies at the local level and prospects of local participation.

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