BENGALURU: The declaration of Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around 12 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the state has reached the final stage as a central expert committee has recommended finalisation of the draft notification for two tiger reserves, a national park and nine wildlife sanctuaries.
With this, both commercial and industrial activities will be prohibited in ESZs while the government will have to ensure that the land use pattern does not change.
Mining activities and setting up of pollution-causing industries will be totally prohibited while many other activities like hotels, resorts, tree felling, erection of electricity cables and widening of roads will be restricted in the ESZ areas.
Out of the 13 proposals, only one was deferred. In the case of Dandeli (Kali) and Anshi Tiger Reserve, the committee has deferred its decision whose draft notification was published on November 2, 2016. Here, the proposed ESZ area was 1,201 square km while the extent was
7 km.
The expert committee deferred its decision as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has proposed the inclusion of revenue enclosures into the ESZ area.
This proposal will be discussed further as there is a lot of opposition to its inclusion in the ESZ.
Based on the draft notification for the 13 protected areas that was issued between 2015-16, comments were received, presentations made on the proposals anddiscussions held.
The 24th Central Expert Committee has recommended 12 proposals for finalisation of draft notification. However, for five protected areas of BRT tiger reserve, Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Chinchioli Sanctuary, MM Hills wildlife sanctuary and Bannerghatta National Park, the committee’s recommendation is subject to incorporation of the changes made by the state government, inclusion of views of NTCA, submission of additional information and maps of the revised ESZ areas wherever suggested.
Compared to the 2013 draft notification, the state government has made many changes — reduced the ESZ area and extent for some protected areas (PAs) while for some where there are no revenue enclosures, it has increased.
The smallest ESZ area of 7.56 sq km falls in Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary while the largest area of 740.56 sq km is in Bhadra Tiger Reserve.
On the other hand, the minimum extent varies from 100 metres as in Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary and Bannerghatta National Park to a maximum extent of 12.5 km in Bhadra Tiger Reserve.