Latest news with #ESZ
New Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
NTCA seeks reply from Forest department on tourism projects in Satkosia TR
BHUBANESWAR: The state government's move to set up tourism establishments in Satkosia has come under National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) scanner with the apex tiger conservation body seeking a response from the Forest department over alleged violation of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) norms to allow projects in the tiger reserve. Sources said, the NTCA has sought a clarification from the Forest department on the basis of a petition filed by the 'Satkosia Abhayaranya O Praja Suraksha Samiti'. The field director of Satkosia tiger reserve has been instructed to submit the response to the PCCF (wildlife)-cum-chief wildlife warden for moving it to the NTCA. The petition was filed citing The New Indian Express' reports on how two critical points of Satkosia - Athamallik NAC segment and Baliput-Orasingha segment - have been left with zero eco-sensitive zone in the draft ESZ plan of the reserve, leaving the tiger habitat vulnerable to unrestrained development activities on its immediate boundary. It had also published a report on the Forest department's direction to its Tourism counterpart to rework the Rs 174 crore development plan of Satkosia under SACCI in which the latter had proposed tourist facilities in three zones - Pampasar-Tikarpada hub, Baliput-Badmul hub and Kusanga-Sitalpani hub - of the tiger reserve.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
SC panel seeks chief secy response on green zone norms ‘flout' in Satkosia
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar: The central empowered committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court has sought a response from Odisha chief secretary Manoj Ahuja regarding alleged violations of the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) in the draft proposal of the wildlife wing to carry out tourism activities in Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Satkosia Abhayaranya and Praja Surakshya Samiti (SAPSS), which filed the petition in SC, stated that Satkosia is a Ramsar Convention site and the forest department is attempting to modify the 2011 ESZ norms to allow the tourism department to undertake massive projects in the reserve. In the new draft proposal, the ESZ has been reduced to almost zero in the Baliput and Badmul areas, enabling the tourism department to proceed with construction, it claimed. The petition cited a 2022 SC judgment stating that if tourism inside a tiger reserve is to be promoted, it must be eco-tourism. While seeking response from Ahuja, CEC chairman Siddhant Das on May 16 wrote, "I am forwarding herewith a soft copy of the complaint on May 9 from Satkosia Abhayaranya and Praja Surakshya Samiti on the subject mentioned above. It is requested that the detailed response/comments of the state of Odisha may please be sent to the CEC at the earliest." "Satkosia authorities have plans to dilute the borders of the reserve to favour the tourism department. Promoting commercial tourism in the core area goes against the spirit and concept of eco-tourism, which is developed in buffer areas. Without approval from the State Board for Wildlife and National Board for Wildlife, Satkosia authorities have allowed construction by Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Ltd. The department also plans to reconstruct the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (Gracu) at Tikarpada," said Naba Kishor Bisoyi, president of the samiti, quoting the petition he sent to the Chief Justice of India. Bisoyi also drew the attention of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), additional director general (wildlife), ministry of environment, forests and climate change, and deputy director general of forests, regional office. "The 2011 norms allows for a 10-km ESZ from the Satkosia boundary. We filed the draft proposal to demarcate the ESZ afresh, which was done in consultation with people," said Saroj Panda, divisional forest officer, Satkosia. Prasanna Behera, a local wildlife activist, said the way the draft plan has been drawn, the reserve will be almost devoid of the ESZ in its core area close to the Mahanadi gorge. "It is appalling that the wildlife wing was so lenient in redrawing the ESZ to suit tourism needs. Apart from compromising tiger conservation, it will severely affect the conservation of crocodiles and gharials," Behera said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
CEC finds Yamuna embankment in Kalesar National Park intact
Gurgaon: The Supreme Court-appointed central empowered committee (CEC) this month confirmed allegations that an embankment was built in the protected Kalesar National Park to divert Yamuna waters and Haryana govt's submission that the structure had been removed was false. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now CEC visited the park in Yamunanagar on May 19 and found that the embankment across the river was intact, according to the report submitted by the committee's chairperson Siddhanta Das this week. The Kalesar park is an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), where construction is barred and any non-forest activity needs to be approved by the ESZ monitoring committee. CEC recommended taking penal action against responsible officials, halting all illegal construction immediately, improving ESZ committee's oversight mechanism and training all govt officials in ESZ norms. The case stems from a petition filed in March by activist Sanjay Kumar, who alleged that an embankment was built on the river by Haryana's irrigation department and the structure diverted Yamuna's waters to UP to aid illegal mining. The petitioner's counsel also submitted satellite imagery as evidence of construction. The SC bench of justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, while hearing the plea in April this year, ordered the CEC to investigate the site. It also directed the petitioner to submit copies of the plea with Haryana and UP govts for their responses. CEC, after the inspection on May 19, submitted its report to the top court on May 26. It said that the state's irrigation department had informed the ESZ monitoring committee on May 15 that the embankment was temporary to stop nearby farmlands and villages from flooding. The department told the monitoring panel that the structure was removed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "During the site visit, it was also observed that the embankment was constructed across the river's flow, which contradicts the submissions made in the minutes of the district-level ESZ monitoring committee meeting. Irrigation department officials then informed that the said embankment was constructed temporarily…" CEC's report to SC noted. The report also said that 1,800 metres from the embankment, nine concrete studs and a 450m cement wall were being built without ESZ committee's clearance. Further, CEC said, a day before its site visit, the irrigation department submitted a "written statement" from the contractor tasked with building the embankment that this structure was constructed to "facilitate concreting work" to prevent soil erosion and the firm has "since removed it". In its observations, CEC pointed out the violations – that the ESZ monitoring committee "failed" to take suo-motu cognizance of construction in the Kalesar National Park; the irrigation department "misrepresented the nature and location of the embankment", and that "no permissions" were sought for construction in the protected area. In addition, the report said, the contractor's admission that the embankment was built for concreting work and not to avoid flooding "came only a day before CEC's site visit, raising further concerns about transparency and compliance". The will take up the petition in July next. Asked about CEC's findings, Haryana's principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Vineet Garg said strict instructions have been issued by the ESZ panel to ensure compliance with environmental regulations in the future. "The state has acknowledged the ecological importance of the Rajaji–Kalesar–Simbalbara wildlife corridor and expressed its commitment to conservation efforts. As part of this, Haryana will prepare a proposal to strengthen the corridor," Garg said. Yamuna's passage in the Kalesar park is part of a critical wildlife corridor through the Shivalik hills. This corridor facilitates movement of wildlife between Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Kalesar National Park in Haryana and Simbalbara National Park in Himachal Pradesh. The petitioner's counsel Gaurav Kumar Bansal told TOI on Thursday that this region is a "crucial dispersal zone" for wildlife, allowing them to move through protected forests across states. "These habitats are vital for restoring historical tiger ranges and strengthening wildlife connectivity across the northern landscape. However, illegal embankments like the one constructed on Yamuna river — especially those that alter its natural flow — pose a serious threat to this fragile ecosystem. Such interventions can severely disrupt wildlife movement, degrade habitats and undermine the corridor's ecological integrity," Bansal said.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
UP, Uttarakhand forest officials fix PTR eco-sensitive zone limits
Pilibhit: Forest authorities in Uttar Pradesh on Monday finalised the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) boundaries of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) in coordination with Uttarakhand's Terai East forest division, following objections raised by the Centre. The meeting, held at Chuka ecotourism site, was conducted to address environment ministry directions before announcing the final notification. PTR divisional forest officer Manish Singh and his counterparts from Uttarakhand participated in the meeting, which focused on finalising the ESZ interface, as Pilibhit shares its boundary with the Surai forest range of Uttarakhand. The ESZ around the reserve is meant to act as a buffer to protect wildlife and habitats from external pressures. Pilibhit tiger reserve had initially submitted a proposal in 2021, marking a 5km buffer zone from the forest's periphery. However, after receiving representations from local farmers, communities, and industrialists, the buffer was reduced to 2km. The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change had objected to Pilibhit's earlier ESZ proposal, as the suggested norms could impact activities in the Terai East forest division. The ministry then directed officials to finalise the ESZ limits in consultation with Uttarakhand. "We have kept zero ESZ towards Uttarakhand as well as Nepal to make our neighbouring state and country free from any regulations envisaged by the ESZ-related norms. In the case of adjoining districts of UP adjoining Pilibhit forest area — Shahjahanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri — the ESZ limit of one kilometre has been fixed," said Singh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo This agreement between the two states marks a significant step towards finalising the ESZ notification, with the Centre now expected to issue the final approval. The ESZ is a fragile ecological area declared around tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and national parks by the Centre to restrict potentially harmful activities near protected areas. The ESZ norms include three regulatory categories — prohibited, restricted, and permitted. Since the zone acts as a critical ecological corridor, it regulates activities ranging from construction to farming patterns to prevent the isolation of wildlife.
