Does govt want to destroy wildlife sanctuaries?

The Supreme Court’s sharp criticism of the central government’s decision to reduce the radius of eco-sensitive zones around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries from 10 km to 100 metres is right and well-deserved. The court has termed the decision an “arbitrary exercise of powers”, which will lead to the destruction of parks and sanctuaries. It expressed surprise and concern over the decision and asked the government whether it wanted to destroy wildlife, forests, rivers and sanctuaries, instead of protecting them. Under the Wildlife Conservation Strategy adopted by the Wildlife Board of India in 2002, the area within a 10-km radius from the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries were notified as eco-sensitive zones under the Environment Protection Act. The Supreme Court had also endorsed this. But the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has quietly reduced this buffer zone from 10 km to just 100 metres through a series of notifications since 2015.

Eco-sensitive zones adjoining national parks and sanctuaries are treated as their integral parts and extensions. Commercial activities like setting up industries, construction of houses and mining are banned in these zones because such activities in close proximity to the protected areas would pose a serious threat to them. There has even been a view that the buffer zone should be extended further. There is no proper control over, and supervision of, the 10-km zone now and that has led to encroachments and poaching on a large scale. A 100-metre buffer is no buffer at all and amounts to its virtual elimination. Offenders need to walk just a few steps to enter the forests or sanctuaries for their illegal activities. The disappearance of the buffer zone will lead to an increase in man-animal conflict which is even now a serious problem. Tourism, which is among the government’s top priorities, will also be affected.

The court made its comments in a case that challenged the environmental clearance given to an industrial unit located close to the Dadra and Nagar Haveli wildlife sanctuary. A reduction in the eco-sensitive zone has also made 59,400 apartments in Noida legal. The National Green Tribunal had disallowed their construction as they came within 10 km of the Okhla bird sanctuary. Some protected areas in Karnataka and around the Gir forest in Gujarat are under similar threat. It is clear that the government did not care for the environment, forests, wildlife and public interest when it took the decision. It is widely seen to have acted under pressure from interested lobbies. There was no public consultation over the matter. The government should reverse its decision at the earliest.