{"id":54693,"date":"2025-07-13T13:06:04","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T07:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=54693"},"modified":"2025-07-14T14:58:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T09:28:15","slug":"revisiting-eco-sensitive-zone-esz-guidelines-towards-ecological-and-socio-economic-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/revisiting-eco-sensitive-zone-esz-guidelines-towards-ecological-and-socio-economic-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"Revisiting Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Guidelines &#8211; Towards Ecological and Socio-Economic Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (<\/span><b>SC-NBWL<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), chaired by the Union Environment Minister, <\/span><b>resolved to revisit the 2011 guidelines on Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs).\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The move comes amid concerns about the <\/span><b>need for more region-specific, flexible, and balanced ecological governance <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">around India\u2019s protected areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Meaning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs), these are areas notified and regulated by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>The purpose of declaring ESZs:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create some kind of <\/span><b>shock absorbers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To act as a <\/span><b>transition zone<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Statutory backing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Environment (Protection)<\/span><b> Act 1986<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> does not mention the word &#8220;Eco-Sensitive Zones&#8221;, however, the government of India effectively uses the act to declare ESZs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>The 2011 guidelines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Issued by the MoEF &amp; CC, it provides a framework for declaring ESZs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Extent of ESZ: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An ESZ could extend <\/span><b>up to 10 km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> around a protected area.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Revision of ESZ Guidelines<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Objective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Make ESZ norms site-specific and aligned with ecological and socio-economic conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Current status<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 2011 guidelines offer an indicative framework on land-use classification and activity regulation (permitted, regulated, prohibited).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>SC directive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Union Environment Ministry to &#8211;\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Draft a revised note on ESZs,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold international consultations with relevant divisions (impact assessment, forest conservation, wetlands),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conduct multi-stakeholder consultations, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Submit findings for further deliberation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Need for Site-Specific ESZ Framework<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Blanket 10-km norm ineffective: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uniform 10-km ESZ rule is ecologically irrational and developmentally restrictive in varied regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Examples:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Urban parks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Mumbai), Asola Bhatti Sanctuary (Delhi).<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hill states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Himachal Pradesh has 65% area under forests or protection \u2014 strict ESZs may obstruct development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>State-wise Concerns and Inputs<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Himachal Pradesh: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commercial activity regulations affect livelihoods of local people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kerala: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fear of additional restrictions in ESZs discouraged declaration of new sanctuaries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tamil Nadu and Karnataka: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expressed the need for more pragmatic ESZ implementation frameworks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Gaps in Compliance Monitoring<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>SC-NBWL directive:<\/b>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief Wildlife Wardens of all states must submit compliance reports on cleared infrastructure projects (mining, railways, highways).<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Non-compliance penalty:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Proposals from defaulting states won\u2019t be considered.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Concern raised:<\/b>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implementation of terms and conditions not monitored adequately.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee urged stricter scrutiny and accountability.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Emerging Ecological Concerns<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Large renewable energy projects:<\/b>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Concerns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Solar\/wind plants near protected areas (PAs) threaten wildlife migration routes and habitats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Recommendation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Reclassify\/promote regulated activity status even for green projects based on their scale.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Marine ecosystem oversight:<\/b>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current land-centric ESZ norms unsuited for marine sanctuaries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call for marine-specific regulatory principles.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Critical Reflections on 2011 Guidelines<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guidelines were<\/span><b> already flexible<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and allowed for region-specific customization.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Question raised on whether <\/span><b>further dilution could undermine core ecological safeguards.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Role of SC-NBWL<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Functions as <\/span><b>an advisory body<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for wildlife policy, conservation strategy, and project appraisals within and around protected areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of last year, 347 final ESZ notifications were published by the ministry.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/wildlife-board-panel-to-revisit-guidelines-on-declaring-eszs-around-national-parks-sanctuaries-make-them-more-site-specific-10122225\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SC-NBWL, chaired by the Environment Minister, decided to revisit the 2011 guidelines on Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) in its recent meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":54804,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1509,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-54693","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-eco-sensitive-zone-esz","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54693\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}