ECO-SENSITIVE ZONES

WHY IN NEWS:

• Ministry of Forests and Environment issued a draft notification on January 2021 to declare eco-sensitive zones around the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

WHAT ARE ECO-SENSITIVE ZONES?

• The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002–2016) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) stipulated that state governments should declare land falling within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as eco fragile zones or ESZs under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The purpose of the ESZ was to provide more protection to the parks by acting as a shock absorber or transition zone.

NATURE OF REGULATION IN ESZs

• Prohibited activities:
  • Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution, establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances.
• Regulated activities:
  • Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.
• Permitted activities:
  • Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for all activities.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ESZs:

• To act as shock absorber for protected area:
  • The purpose of declaring eco-sensitive zones around protected areas is for creating some kind of a 'shock absorber' for the protected area.
  • They also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
• Helps in in-situ conservation
  • EZSz deals with conservation of an endangered species in its natural habitat, for example the conservation of the One-horned Rhino of Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
• To reduce man-animal conflict:
  • ESZs promotes a mechanism for wildlife-human co-existence >> where conflicts between humans and animals are minimal and the movement of animals is unhindered
• Beneficial local communities:
  • It helps to ensure the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the region, by encouraging wise use of natural and human resources.
  • Designation of ESZs attracts academic and government research activity that addresses local issues and problems.
• Raise awareness:
  • Designation of a ESZ can raise awareness among local people, citizens, and government authorities on environmental and development issues.
• To minimize the impact of urbanization on ecology:
  • When areas adjacent to protected areas are declared as ESZs >> it helps to regulate the developmental activities in these areas

CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DECLARATION OF ESZ:

• Adversely affect the developmental works:
  • Many state governments have pointed out that the 10 km boundary would encompass many habitations and important cities; and would adversely affect the developmental works
• Reduces economic potential of the region:
  • Land falling in the eco-sensitive zone cannot be transferred for non-agricultural use
• Increased tussle between locals and forest department:
  • Implementation of regulations in ESZs would bring changes in the socio-economic life of local people >> which may be faced with resistance >> hence leads to conflicts with the government officials

THREATS TO ECO-SENSITIVE ZONES:

• Developmental activities:
  • Activities such as construction of dams, roads, urban and rural infrastructures in the ESZ, create interference, negatively impact upon the environment and imbalance the ecological system.
• Failures of environmental governance:
  • Environmental legislations may sometimes give more weight to developmental activities than the conservation efforts
  • For example: the new draft notification for reducing the ESZs of Bannerghatta National Park.
• Tourism:
  • As the pressure of tourism is rising, the government is developing new sites and gateways to the ESZ.
  • To cater to the increasing demand for eco-tourism, land around parks and sanctuaries is being cleared through deforestation, displacement of local people etc.
  • The tourists leave behind garbage such as plastic bags and bottles etc. which lead to environmental degradation.
• Introduction of exotic species:
  • Exotic species like Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis etc., and their plantations create a competing demand on naturally occurring forests.
• Climate change:
  • Biodiversity and climate change are interconnected, for example, the rise in global temperature has generated land, water and ecological stress on the ESZs.
  • For example, forest fires or the Assam floods which badly affected the Kaziranga National Park and its wildlife.
• Local communities:
  • Slash and burn techniques used in agriculture, pressure of increasing population and the rising demand for firewood and forest produce, etc. exerts pressure on the protected areas.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Discuss the prospects and challenges of local community participation in the forest conservation initiatives