Lok Sabha Question No. 1 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Demarcating Buffer Zones under ESZ
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. Muraleedharan, Dean Kuriakose, Anto  Antony, Sougata Ray, Adoor Prakash, M. K. Raghavan, Abdul Majeed Ariff

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

Demarcating Buffer Zones under ESZ

1. SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN:

ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE: SHRI ANTO ANTONY: PROF. SOUGATA RAY: ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN: ADV. A.M. ARIFF:

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

- (a) whether  the  SC  ruling  regarding  the  1km  Eco-  Sensitive  Zone  (ESZ)  around  National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries be given consideration of the geographical landscape of each state or not;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  this  verdict  will  seriously  affect  the  life  of residents  there  and  whether  the  slew  of  projects  lined  up  in  the  particular  area  be cancelled thereof;
- (c) if so, the action taken thereon thereof along with the details number of people affected by the  above  said  order  in  each  of  the  Wildlife  Sanctuaries  and  National  Parks  in  the country;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  created  any  Committee  to  study  the  scientific  manner  of demarcating buffer zones under ESZ, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Government  intends  to  bring  in  legislation  to  protect  the  interests  of  the people  living  near  to  the  boundaries/buffer  zone  of  Wildlife  Sanctuaries  and  National Parks in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether  the  State  Government  of  Kerala  has  given  any  representation  to  amend  the requirement of Buffer Zone, if so, the details of action taken thereon; and
- (g) whether the Government has taken steps for implementation of Dr. Kasturirangan Report on Western Ghats, if so, the details thereof and steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (e) Hon'ble Supreme Court,byits judgment dated 3 rd June 2022 in I. A. No. 1000 in  Writ  Petition  (Civil)  No.  202  of  1995,  has  directed  that  each  protected forest,  that  is  national  park  or  wildlife  sanctuary,  must  have an  ESZ  (Eco-

Sensitive Zone) of minimum one kilometre measured from the demarcated boundary of such protected forest in which the activities proscribed  and prescribed  in  the  Guidelines  of  9 th February,  2011  shall  be strictly adhere to.

Hon'ble Court has further directed that the minimum width of the ESZ may be diluted in overwhelming public interest but for that purpose the State or Union Territory concerned shall approach the CEC and MoEF&CC and both these  bodies  shall  give  their respective  opinions/  recommendations  before the Court. On that basis, the Court shall pass appropriate order.

Within the ESZ notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, there are  activities  which  are  prohibited,  promoted  and  regulated  as  per  the notification.

- (f) Yes, Sir. As per the procedure laid down for notification of ESZ, the draft proposals related to finalization of ESZ received from the State Governments are  examined  in  the  Ministry  before  publication.  The  final  notification  is published after examining the claims and objections received after the draft notification
- (g) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  published draft  notification  for  an  area  of  56,825  square  kilometre  spread  across  six States,  namely,  Gujarat,  Maharashtra,  Goa,  Karnataka,  Kerala  and  Tamil Nadu, as the WesternGhats Ecologically Sensitive Area recently on 6 th July, 2022.

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