BHUBANESWAR: In an important development, the Odisha government has scrapped its controversial position on revisiting eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) notifications for tourism projects that had drawn the attention of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The contentious plan of approaching the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) seeking permission for use of forest land for non-site specific purposes has also been withdrawn by virtue of a revised proceeding on July 14.
The entire minutes on ‘Governance and execution model for tourism infrastructure relating to sanctuary, national parks, tiger reserve areas and Ramsar sites’ from May 30 meeting, has now been dropped, this paper has learnt.
Earlier, in a meeting chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja on May 30, it was decided to revisit the ESZ plans to remove the ‘no commercial/no construction’ clause to enhance the tourism prospects in forest areas.
The meeting, minutes of which had been reported by The New Indian Express, had also decided that the chief secretary would take up matters pertaining to ESZs of Satkosia and Similipal tiger reserves and also move MoEFCC seeking use of forest land for non-site specific purposes as per Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Rules 2023 for hospitality units.
The state Forest department had been assigned the task citing that the clause does not accurately reflect the ‘enabling spirit and provisions’ of the guidelines of the wildlife division of the Union ministry. It had also been asked to form an empowered committee headed by the additional chief secretary, Forest and Environment department to discuss issues relating to tourism projects and forest clearance and ESZ pertaining to them every two months.
The government had even asked the Forest department to discuss matters related to ESZs with its Tourism counterpart and asked the Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority (OCZMA) to re-examine coastal regulation zones across the state for development of tourism projects.
While the government was already under scanner over its contentious move of zero ESZ boundary at two critical points of Satkosia Tiger Reserve in the fresh draft proposal, the fresh move to revisit all ESZs drew attention of the CEC.