DEHRADUN: The carrying capacity of the Valley of Flowers National Park will be a key factor in deciding how tourism is regulated under a proposed eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), as Uttarakhand steps up work on plans for the park and Rajaji National Park.
The proposals will be prepared separately, taking into account each park’s geography and ecological sensitivity. Officials are examining the proposed zones’ area and boundaries, the regulation of activities, and the preparation of zonal master plans. The process is also expected to consider local needs and public concerns alongside conservation priorities.
At the Valley of Flowers, the focus will be on managing visitor numbers and tourism activity to limit pressure on the fragile ecosystem. Information will be sought from the district administration, the Tourism Department and other relevant agencies to assess the area’s carrying capacity and help shape the proposal.
The plans will classify activities as prohibited, regulated or permitted within each ESZ. A zonal master plan and arrangements for a monitoring committee are also expected to form part of the proposals. Reports from the districts concerned will be examined before these details are finalised.
The Rajaji proposal also involves a time-bound legal process. The state is preparing a response on its current position in line with Supreme Court directions, with the reply expected to be sent within a week. Legal advice will be sought as part of the exercise.
The state is also considering seeking guidance from the Cabinet on issues linked to the Rajaji ESZ. Officials will need to assess how restrictions and regulations can protect the park while taking account of the circumstances and needs of communities living in or near the proposed zone.
The two proposals will therefore address different challenges: meeting judicial timelines in the case of Rajaji, and assessing tourism’s carrying capacity at the Valley of Flowers. In both, officials will have to determine how conservation measures can be balanced with local interests.
Principal Secretary for Forests R.K. Sudhanshu has directed officials to examine the matter in detail and take the necessary steps, according to the information provided by the department.
The proposed ESZs are intended to provide a framework for regulating activity around the national parks. Their boundaries and rules will determine which activities are barred, which may continue subject to conditions, and which are allowed—decisions with implications for both the parks’ ecosystems and nearby communities.
