MoEF raps states for delay in notifying eco-sensitive zones

"...The progress on this front has been far from satisfactory," MoEF Secretary V Rajagopalan said in his letters sent to the state governments.

Noting that the Ministry has issued guidelines for notification of eco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuaries in February last year, he said only very few states have come forward with proposal, "that too for few of the national parks and sanctuaries in their respective states."

"Governments be given one last opportunity to submit site specific proposal for declaration of eco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuaries, latest by February 15, 2013," the Ministry secretary's letter said.

The purpose of eco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuaries is to create some kind of shock absorber for the protected areas. These areas would also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving less protection.

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has made it clear that the activities in eco-sensitive zones would be of a regulatory nature rather than prohibitive nature.