CHENNAI: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released the draft notification for the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Tamil Nadu.
This notification proposes a protective zone covering 183 villages, including highly fragmented Valparai estates, across Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Dindigul districts. Spanning 767.57 sq.km, the ESZ extends from 0 to 10 kilometres around the reserve’s boundaries.
The ATR, part of the Western Ghats, comprises 1,479.87 sq.km, including a 958.59 sq.km core area critical for tiger conservation and a 521.28 sq.km buffer zone. The ESZ area will provide an extra layer of protection, which would help protect perennial rivers that originate in Anamalai hills, as it will prohibit/regulate harmful, polluting and water-guzzling industries. These rivers are the primary source for the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) which irrigates drought-prone areas in Coimbatore and Erode districts benefiting lakhs of people.
The draft notification will be open to the public for next 60 days within which stakeholders and residents of the 183 villages falling inside the ESZ are invited to submit objections or suggestions. Submissions can be sent to the ministry’s office or via email after which it will be gazette notified.
TNIE spoke to multiple environmentalists, who appreciated the State Forest Department's move to include the entire Valparai plateau, except the township, in the ESZ proposal. In the past, the tea estates lobby in Valparai thwarted the department's proposal to include their land in the buffer zone.
Now with the inclusion in ESZ, certain activities can be regulated to boost conservation in the area. For instance, no new construction of hotels and resorts will be allowed within 1 km from the boundary of the Tiger Reserve or up to the extent of the ESZ whichever is nearer.
The vehicular movement of traffic shall be regulated in a habitat-friendly manner and specific provisions in this regard shall be incorporated in the Zonal Master Plan and till the Zonal Master plan is prepared and approved by the competent authority in the State Government, the Monitoring Committee headed by district collectors shall monitor compliance of vehicular movement.
The ATR is home to significant biodiversity with over 2,500 angiosperm species and diverse fauna, including tigers, elephants, and endemic species like the Nilgiri tahr and lion-tailed macaque. These protection measures are needed for the long-term sustainability of the habitat and people.
Activities like commercial mining, stone quarrying, polluting industries, and major construction projects are prohibited. New sawmills, brick kilns, and large-scale poultry or livestock farms are not allowed. Introducing invasive species and unsustainable land-use practices like large-scale deforestation are also banned. However, traditional livelihoods, eco-friendly tourism, and small-scale, non-polluting industries are encouraged.
The draft also establishes a Monitoring Committee, chaired by district collectors, to oversee ESZ activities and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. The committee will include experts, local officials, and representatives from non-governmental organisations.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra clarified that ESZ will not have any negative impact on people and their livelihood. "The Zonal Master Plan will be prepared in consultation with the people and will not impose any restriction on the approved existing land use, infrastructure and activities. It will promote eco-friendly development for the security of local communities’," he told TNIE.