Karnataka: Eco-sensitive zone notified for Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary

Bengaluru: The Centre has issued final notification for the eco sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sharavathi Valley Lion Tailed Macaque (LTM) Sanctuary, providing a 5.25 km buffer zone around the core area of the sanctuary, in the heart of the Western Ghats.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has told the state government to develop a zonal master plan (ZMP) for 679.15 sq km (spread across Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts, includes 416 sq km of forest and 262.16 sq km of non-forest areas. An extent of 2.6 km of ESZ shares the common boundary with the Mookambika wildlife sanctuary.

Sharavathi valley sanctuary, formed in 1978, was extended in 2019 to include the Aghanashini LTM conservation reserve. The 930 sq km sanctuary is considered as a key habitat for protecting the endangered LTMs (Macaca silenus), considered as endemic to Western Ghats.

14 human habitats

The ZMP, includes a tourism plan and will be co-terminus with the regional development plan, will guide the development works in the ESZ as per the restrictions imposed by the notification on land use change. The area includes 154 villages. As many as 14 human habitats are within the forest enclosures.

As per the ESZ rules, commercial mining, including quarrying, is prohibited while new industries and expansion of polluting industries, new hydroelectric projects, sawmills and brick kilns are not allowed. Authorities will regulate 28 activities. New commercial establishment of hotels and resorts and other big constructions are regulated with total prohibition within 1 km from the boundary of the core area.

Eco-friendly activities

The state government will have to promote organic farming, cottage industries with village artisans, agro forestry and other eco-friendly activities. The notification also seeks active promotion of restoration of degraded land or forests besides promotion of agro forestry.
A monitoring committee headed by the regional commissioner of Belagavi division and 15 other members will scrutinise the activities. The committee will have the power to authorise conversion of agricultural and other lands “for the purposes other than that specified’’ in the notification to meet the residential needs of the residents.

Similarly, widening and strengthening of existing roads and building new roads, renovation of infrastructure and civic amenities, small scale non-polluting industries and other activities will be cleared by the committee.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Kumar Pushkar said the existing entities in the ESZ will not be affected. “Resorts and other entities that already exist will not be affected. The ESZ, however, will provide a buffer zone for the sanctuary,” he said.