Lok Sabha Question No. 4282 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Bannerghata National Park
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: L.S. Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4282

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019.

## Bannerghata National Park

## 4282.   SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Union Government has sought any information from the State of Karnataka  to  reconsider  the  Eco  Sensitive  Zone  (ESZ)  around  Bannerghata National Park (BNP), if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has received any reply from the State Government of Karnataka on the ESZ around BNP, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the declaration of ESZ would have checked the ecologically damaging activities around BNP, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether it is a fact that the farming or building a farmhouse in an area inside ESZ would be affected, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) and (b)

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had  vide letter dated 20 th August 2019 requested the  Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (WL) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Karnataka,  for reconsidering the proposal for declaration of  Eco-Sensitive  Zone  around Bannerghatta  National Park in the light of  likely impact to elephant corridors and overall ecology of the region.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology, Government of Karnataka, vide letter dated 27 th November 2019 had mentioned that the draft final notification proposal for the Bannerghata  Eco-Sensitive Zone area of 168.84 Sq.km,  was approved by the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted for recommending the Eco-Sensitive Zone proposals to Government of India.  It was  also  mentioned  by  the  State  Government  that  a  radius  of  1  km  around  the boundary of Bannerghata National Park has been declared as 'Safe Zone' under Rule 3(2) of Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rule 1960 Notification dated 10.01.1991 and as Bannerghata National Park is located close to Bengaluru city, it was inevitable to maintain a minimum width of ESZ in private lands around the National Park.

- (c), (d) and (e) The  purpose  of  delineation  of  Eco-sensitive  Zones  around  National  Parks  and Sanctuaries is to accord protection to the biodiversity inside the National Parks/Sanctuaries and to act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection. Certain activities that are detrimental of biodiversity  of  National  parks/Sanctuaries  are  prohibited  in  the  Eco-Sensitive Zones,  while  other  are  regulated  or  permitted.  All  activities  in  the  Eco  sensitive Zone are governed as per the provisions contained in the Notification.

Further, the  activities  in  the  Eco-Sensitive  Zones are  monitored by  a Monitoring Committee, chaired by the District Collector as the chairman and the DCF of the concerned National Park/Sanctuary as the Member Secretary

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