The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has proposed a review of the current framework governing Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) across India. The committee advocates for a context-driven, adaptive approach that aligns environmental protection with the developmental and socio-economic realities of surrounding communities. This recommendation arises from growing concerns that the existing uniform regulations may impede essential development while offering limited ecological benefits.
Understanding Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)
Eco-Sensitive Zones serve as protective buffers around national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and protected forest areas. Their primary objective is to reduce the impact of human activity on fragile ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots. While certain operations like eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy generation are permitted under regulated conditions, activities such as mining, heavy construction, and polluting industries are either restricted or completely prohibited to prevent ecological degradation.
Issues With Uniform ESZ Regulations
The committee highlighted the inefficiency of applying a fixed 10-kilometre ESZ radius around all protected zones, pointing out that such a rigid rule does not consider local terrain, biodiversity value, or human settlement patterns. For instance:
In Himachal Pradesh, over 65% of land falls under forest or protected categories, and imposing the same ESZ criteria could stifle development projects without proportionate environmental protection.
Smaller wildlife sanctuaries and marine ecosystems often require unique protection measures that are not addressed by current land-centric guidelines.
Impact On Local Communities And Development
States have expressed concerns over livelihood disruptions caused by stringent ESZ mandates. Many traditional economic activities, including small-scale mining, industry, and construction, have been halted, negatively affecting residents. Unlike protected areas, ESZs do not provide compensation or rehabilitation for those impacted, resulting in public resistance and delays in ESZ declarations.
Call For Flexible, Site-Based Strategies
Several alternatives have been suggested to improve ESZ governance:
Adopting case-specific boundaries rather than a uniform 10 km limit.
Implementing transitional periods for phasing out activities that are no longer permitted. For example, Karnataka has proposed a two-year adjustment period post-ESZ notification.
Ensuring inclusive stakeholder engagement by involving state governments, local communities, scientific experts, and industry representatives in the decision-making process.
Need For Inter-Ministerial Collaboration
To move forward, the committee has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to prepare a comprehensive background note on the challenges and shortcomings of current ESZ policies. This will be followed by inter-departmental consultations and a joint review involving both the Wildlife and ESZ divisions, aiming to strike a balance between conservation imperatives and regional development needs.
Sectoral Challenges Under Existing ESZ Norms
Key economic sectors, including mining, infrastructure (roads and railways), housing, and tourism, have faced delays or restrictions due to ESZ regulations. The SC-NBWL stressed that a uniform regulatory approach may not be suitable for all regions and could obstruct critical infrastructure projects. A tailored, evidence-based policy framework could help reconcile ecological priorities with economic development.
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