Protection of Ecology
Buffer zones/eco-sensitive zones around National Parks and Sanctuaries are considered desirable to ensure the integrity of the National Parks and Sanctuaries so that the same can act as a ‘transition zone’ from areas of higher protection to areas of lower protection. The decision for declaration of site specific eco-sensitive zones around National Parks and Sanctuaries under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was taken by the National Board for Wildlife. This was stated by ShrimatiJayanthiNatarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in a written reply to a question in the LokSabhatoday. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has requested the State/Union Territory Governments to forward site specific proposals for declaration of eco-sensitive zones. The state-wise details of proposals received for declaration eco-sensitive zones are given below:-
Status of Eco-Sensitive Zones the Ministry of Environment and Forests as in April, 2013
Sl. No. | Name of State | National Parks | Wildlife Sanctuaries | Proposal received | Eco-sensitive zones finally Notified | |
1 | Andhra Pradesh | 6 | 21 | 27 | - | |
2 | Andaman & Nicobar Island | 9 | 96 | Nil | - | |
3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | 11 | 10 | - | |
4 | Assam | 5 | 18 | 17 | - | |
5 | Bihar | 1 | 12 | 12 | - | |
6 | Chhattisgarh | 3 | 11 | Nil | - | |
7 | Chandigarh | 0 | 2 | Nil | - | |
8 | Dadra Nagar Haveli | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | |
9 | Daman & Diu | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | |
10 | Delhi | 0 | 1 | Nil | - | |
11 | Goa | 1 | 6 | Nil | - | |
12 | Gujarat | 4 | 23 | 4 | 4 | |
13 | Haryana | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1 | |
14 | Himachal Pradesh | 5 | 32 | 31 | - | |
15 | Jammu &Kashmir | 4 | 15 | 12 | - | |
16 | Jharkhand | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | |
17 | Karnataka | 5 | 22 | 2 | 1 | |
18 | Kerala | 6 | 16 | 22 | - | |
19 | Lakshadeep | 0 | 1 | Nil | - | |
20 | Madhya Pradesh | 9 | 25 | Nil | - | |
21 | Maharashtra | 6 | 35 | 17 | - | |
22 | Manipur | 1 | 1 | Nil | - | |
23 | Meghalaya | 2 | 3 | Nil | - | |
24 | Mizoram | 2 | 8 | Nil | - | |
25 | Nagaland | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | |
26 | Orissa | 2 | 18 | Nil | - | |
27 | Punjab | 0 | 13 | 13 | - | |
28 | Pondicherry | 0 | 1 | Nil | - | |
29 | Rajasthan | 5 | 25 | Nil | - | |
30 | Sikkim | 1 | 7 | 8 | - | |
31 | Tamil Nadu | 5 | 21 | 26 | - | |
32 | Tripura | 2 | 4 | 1 | - | |
33 | Uttar Pradesh | 1 | 23 | Nil | - | |
34 | Uttaranchal | 6 | 6 | Nil | - | |
35 | West Bengal | 5 | 15 | Nil | - | |
Total | 102 | 516 | 214 | 7 | ||