With plans for 5 eco-sensitive zones, Raj houses largest number of ESZs

Jaipur: To protect areas surrounding national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, the state government has published the drafts of zonal master plans of five finally notified eco-sensitive zones (ESZ). With the release of five more zonal master plans by the environment department, Rajasthan has become the state with the largest number of ESZs.The department plans to come up with the final drafts in the second week of this month, said sources. The drafts are currently open for public objection. Apart from protection of the buffer zones, the department also plans to promote eco-tourism in the SEZ of all the sanctuaries. Of the seven ESZs mooted, only Nahargarh and Jamwa Ramgarh have been finally notified and the rest five had been in the pipeline. They are Sitamata, Bhainsroadgarh, Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, Keoladeo National Park, Bassi and Jamwa Ramgarh.ESZs, often referred to as ecologically fragile areas (EFAs), are regions around protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries designated by the ministry of environment. The ESZs serve as a buffer zone between the core area of the reserve and human settlements, and their primary objective is to regulate human activities that could potentially harm the region’s biodiversity.“The boundaries of the ESZs were determined based on factors such as the distribution of wildlife, habitat types, hydrology, topography, and socio-economic factors. The ESZs around the tiger reserves will ensure protection of wildlife and their habitats and also promote sustainable development in those areas,” said Monali Sen, joint secretary Environment and Climate Change.The notification for declaring areas surrounding Bhainsroadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary as an ESZ was first issued in 2021. This sanctuary, spread over 275.45 sq km, is situated in Rawatbhata tehsil of Chittorgarh district. An area to an extent of 9.6 km around its boundary has been identified as an ESZ, which is spread over 304.70 km.The ESZ surrounding the boundary of Keoladeo National Park measures 25.61 sq km. Of this, only 9.32% comprises moderate forests while 47.91% is open forest. 9.70% of the ESZ is categorised under shrubs and 32.59% is under non-forest category. The ESZ around the boundary of Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary spreads up to an extent of 3 km, and the area under it is 108.00 sq km. There are 42 villages in the ESZ. The ESZ of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) covers nearly 248.70 sq km and comprises 75 revenue villages under four districts—Kota, Bundi, Chittorgarh and Jhalawad. Poaching and illegal wildlife trade pose significant threats to the biodiversity of MHTR and its ESZ.The ESZ around the boundary of Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area 172.45 sq km and includes 58 villages in Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh districts. Once all the ZMPs are notified, here will be prohibition of activities such as commercial mining, stone quarrying and crushing units, setting of industries causing pollution and establishment of major hydro-electric project in the demarcated buffer zones. However, there will be certain relaxations for activities such as rainwater harvesting, organic farming, and cottage industries including village artisans, etc.“This ZMP will provide much awaited clarity for carrying out various economic activities,” said Shikhar Agarwal, ACS, Forest, Environment and Climate Change.
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