Understanding Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and the Supreme Court Judgement

An Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) is an area notified around Protected Areas, National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries. The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create a buffer zone or a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection. They are intended to regulate certain activities around these protected areas to minimize the negative impacts on the fragile ecosystems within.

In a significant ruling concerning environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, the Supreme Court of India addressed the issue of mandatory eco-sensitive zones around the country's protected areas. The judgement aimed to standardize the protection efforts and ensure that development activities in the vicinity of these crucial ecological regions do not harm their integrity.

The Supreme Court directed that every protected forest, national park, and wildlife sanctuary across India must have a mandatory eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). This judgement specified a minimum distance for this zone.

According to the Supreme Court's direction, the mandatory minimum distance for the eco-sensitive zone is 1 km. This zone must extend outwards from the demarcated boundaries of the protected areas.

The ruling emphasized the need for conservation measures and management plans within these 1 km ESZs to control activities that could potentially disrupt the ecological balance of the core protected areas.

Purpose of Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)

• To minimize the impact of developmental activities in the vicinity of protected areas.
• To act as a buffer zone between highly protected areas and human-modified landscapes.
• To regulate certain activities like mining, stone quarrying, and setting up of polluting industries near National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• To promote conservation-oriented development in the areas surrounding the protected regions.

Supreme Court Ruling on Minimum ESZ Distance

The specific mandate from the Supreme Court judgement is clear:

• All protected forests, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries are covered.
• A mandatory eco-sensitive zone is required.
• The minimum extent of this zone is 1 km.
• The measurement starts from the official demarcated boundary of the protected area.

This ruling highlights the judiciary's role in reinforcing environmental laws and protecting India's rich biodiversity by establishing a clear baseline for the minimum buffer required around critical habitats.

Revision Table: Supreme Court & Eco-Sensitive Zones

Additional Information: Protected Areas and ESZs

India has a network of protected areas established under various laws to conserve its diverse ecosystems and species. These include:

• National Parks: Areas dedicated to conservation of unique natural or scenic areas of national or international significance. Human activities like grazing and private ownership rights are generally not permitted.
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Areas where wildlife and their habitat are protected from disturbance. Certain human activities may be permitted if they do not harm the wildlife or habitat, often regulated by the Chief Wildlife Warden.
• Protected Forests: Forests managed with some degree of protection; specific restrictions may apply depending on the rules defined for that forest type.

Eco-Sensitive Zones serve as crucial transitional areas around these protected regions. While the 1 km is the mandated minimum by the Supreme Court, the extent of an ESZ can be more than 1 km, going up to 10 km, depending on the specific ecological sensitivity and landscape. The activities permitted or prohibited within an ESZ are decided based on the area's specific management plan, which often includes a Zonal Master Plan.