An Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ), alternatively termed an Eco-Fragile Zone, designates an area aimed at preserving and safeguarding ecologically delicate and vulnerable environments. ESZs are strategically established to mitigate the detrimental impacts stemming from developmental projects and alterations in land use on surrounding ecosystems and wildlife.
Eco Sensitive Zone UPSC
The principal objective behind creating these zones is to strike a harmonious balance between development endeavours and the imperative of environmental conservation by enforcing limitations on specific activities within these demarcated regions.
Here are the fundamental features and objectives of Eco Sensitive Zone UPSC Exam:
- Biodiversity Conservation: Eco Sensitive Zone are primarily instituted around designated conservation areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves. The primary goal is protecting these regions’ rich and diverse plant and animal life.
- Preservation of Natural Habitats: ESZs preserve the pristine integrity of natural habitats, ensuring that wildlife can navigate these areas without disruption.
- Soil Erosion Mitigation: ESZs often serve a pivotal role in preventing soil erosion and safeguarding critical watersheds, particularly in regions with fragile ecological systems.
- Activity Regulation: Certain activities like mining, quarrying, construction, and industrial operations may be subject to restrictions or regulations to avert environmental degradation.
- Advocacy of Sustainable Practices: Encouragement of eco-friendly and sustainable practices within ESZs, which may encompass initiatives such as organic farming, afforestation, and adopting renewable energy sources.
- Promotion of Responsible Tourism and Environmental Education: Promoting eco-tourism and disseminating environmental knowledge, all while ensuring a minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystems.
- Community Engagement: Involvement of local communities in conservation initiatives and assuring their sustainable livelihoods.
The specific rules and constraints applicable to a particular Eco Sensitive Zone UPSC can vary, with government authorities typically delineating these based on the respective region’s distinct environmental attributes and requirements. These zones serve as a protective buffer, segregating core conservation areas from human-inhabited or developed regions. This, in turn, serves the dual purpose of environmental preservation and promoting harmonious and sustainable coexistence.
Shielding Rajasthan’s Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary from Eco Sensitive Zone Reduction
The renowned Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary, nestled in Rajasthan’s Churu district, is now safeguarded against the looming threat of its eco sensitive zone (ESZ) shrinking, thanks to concerted efforts.
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has also embarked on a substantial undertaking to conserve raptors within the sanctuary’s precincts.
● Reasons Behind the Safeguard:
The Rajasthan State Government responded to reports suggesting that the sanctuary’s territory faced a reduction to a mere 3 sq. km. This move was purportedly a response to pressure from mine owners and stone crusher operators.
A recent court directive has categorically prohibited any actions to diminish the sanctuary’s expanse, ensuring its protection.
● A Glimpse of Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary:
This sanctuary is the habitat for around 4,000 blackbucks, along with more than 40 species of raptors and over 300 varieties of resident and migratory birds.
Situated approximately 85 km from Churu within the Shekhawati District, the vast expanse of the Thar Desert flanks it.
The sanctuary boasts tall grasslands interspersed with numerous small ponds, serving as repositories for rainwater.
It hosts many migratory birds, including harriers, eastern imperial eagles, tawny eagles, short-toed eagles, sparrows, little green bee-eaters, black ibises, and demoiselle cranes. Meanwhile, skylarks, crested larks, ring doves, and brown doves are spotted year-round.
Beyond avian wonders, the sanctuary is also a potential haven for desert foxes and cats, enhancing its ecological significance.
Navigating the Eco Sensitive Zone Conundrum: Balancing Conservation and Communities
Eco sensitive zones (ESZ) are established to shield “protected areas” by orchestrating a transition from lower protection to heightened safeguards.
Paradoxically, the inception of these zones has ignited contentious debates in regions like Kerala, foreshadowing potential disputes in various corners of the country.
● Understanding ‘Protected Areas’:
‘Protected areas’ encompass a modest 5.26% of India’s expansive land territory, encompassing 108 national parks and 564 wildlife sanctuaries.
Designated under the aegis of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, these areas impose more stringent restrictions than those permitted in ‘reserve forests.’
Within the precincts of these protected areas, several human activities face stringent limitations.
Nevertheless, the formation of Eco Sensitive Zone has a more significant implication. These zones are created to bolster conservation efforts and ensure the rights and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities, often residing within or reliant on these forested lands.
The Forest Rights Act (FRA) is pivotal in this context. It extends legal recognition to the customary and traditional rights, both individual and collective, of forest-dwelling communities over forest lands, even those falling within protected areas.
These rights encompass various activities, from habitation and livelihood to resource usage. Therefore, the rights of these communities remain protected and, in many cases, reinforced rather than extinguished within these environmentally critical zones. This balance between conservation and community well-being is integral to the ESZ framework.
Unpacking the Challenges of Implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Enigma of Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZ)
● The FRA in Practice:
The enactment of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) was a therapeutic effort by legislators to rectify historical injustices imposed upon India’s forest-dwelling communities.
However, as of June 2022, only 16% of the envisaged land area, accounting for 64,873.70 sq. km, has been officially brought under the purview of the FRA. It’s worth noting that this figure may be even more petite since certain regions have been counted multiple times to accommodate various rights.
The areas recognized by gram sabhas, local self-governing bodies, are designated as a unique class of forests known as ‘community forest resources’ (CFR). These areas are meant to be integrated into the ‘working plan’ of the Forest Department, with necessary adaptations for their conservation and management.
● ESZs Unveiled:
Governments have delineated 341 Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZs) across 29 States and five Union territories. Furthermore, an additional 85 ESZs are pending official notification.
Both protected areas and ESZs encompass approximately 8.66% of India’s land expanse. ESZs primarily contain forests outside the boundaries of established protected areas. Interestingly, many ESZs could also fall within the jurisdiction of gram sabhas, operating under the FRA.
The extent of ESZs varies significantly, ranging from the immediate boundaries of protected areas to spans as extensive as 45.82 km (notably in Pin Valley National Park, Himachal Pradesh). Notably, fifteen States have ESZs that extend beyond the 10 km threshold.
● Intricacies and Protests:
A crucial aspect to underscore is that sections of ESZs in ten States overlap with the Scheduled Areas delineated under the Fifth Schedule of India’s Constitution.
These areas predominantly house Scheduled Tribe communities and are restricted by the President as per Article 244. They are also subject to the provisions of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) 1996.
PESA grants authority to habitation-level gram sabhas, enabling them to protect and conserve community resources on forested and revenue lands within Scheduled Areas.
The Ministry overseeing these areas has overlooked requests by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to restore previous FRA compliance procedures.
The latest protests emanate from the Supreme Court’s additional directives regarding ESZs. These guidelines extend to the regions outlined in a draft notification awaiting finalization and a 10-km radius encompassing areas designated as future protected zones.
The Supreme Court’s decisions have also allowed States to expand or shrink the minimum width of ESZs. Moreover, the power to enforce compliance with these directives now rests with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and the State/Union Territory’s Home Secretary.
Consequently, all activities endorsed by the guidelines can continue only upon securing permission from the PCCF, and this must occur within six months of the court’s orders.
● Charting a Path Forward:
The ramifications of these new restrictions are far-reaching and encompass structures such as electric poles, buildings, walls, roads, and bridges.
These developments most profoundly affect the millions of forest-dwellers residing on forest land or its peripheries. Having already been denied forest rights, they now face restrictions on essential public infrastructure improvements.
The government and the judiciary must navigate a way forward by reconciling laws, reinforcing democratic governance, and preserving the environment while safeguarding the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. The balance between conservation and community welfare remains an ongoing challenge, necessitating collaborative solutions.
