The much-delayed proposal of creating an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary is likely to gain momentum.The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has convened a meeting of UT Administration, Punjab Government and Haryana Government on February 12 (Wednesday) to discuss the crucial issue of creating an ESZ around the Sanctuary.
The UT Administration and Punjab Government had submitted the ESZ proposal to the Ministry during last year while Haryana Government is yet to submit its proposal.
This would be the first meeting of three concerned stakeholders convened by the Ministry to deliberate over the ESZ proposal submitted last year. During the meeting, the contentious issues of height restriction of new constructions in ESZ, radius of ESZ, extension of roads among others are likely to be discussed.
The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary spreads over an area of 26 sq km. According to the UT officials, The catchment area around the Sanctuary is around 36 running kilometers. Out of the total area of catchment, about 2 km falls under the jurisdiction of UT Administration and rest falls under the jurisdiction of the neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana.”
Of the total catchment area of Sukhna lake, nearly 29 sq km falls in Chandigarh, 2.77 sq km in Punjab and about 10.22 sq km in Haryana.
In its draft, the UT Administration has proposed an area ranging from 2 km to 2.75 km as the ESZ around the Sanctuary. low-density and low-rise buildings are proposed in the area falling in the ESZ. “No mining or hazardous industry should be permitted in the ESZ. No expansion of the road outside the Sanctuary should be permitted, No deep bore well should be dug for commercial/large scale users. And, all existing water bodes and indigenous floral and faunal diversity within the zone should be protected,” proposes UT Administration’s
ESZ draft.
On the other hand, Punjab Government had reduced the radius of the ESZ to 100 meters in its proposal sent to the Ministry.
While talking to The Pioneer, Santosh Kumar, Director UT Environment Department and Chief Wildlife Warden said, “The MoEF has called a meeting of Administration, Haryana Government and Punjab Government to discuss the issue of ESZ around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.”
He said, “Haryana Government is yet to submit its ESZ proposal and the issue would be raised in the meeting.”
The MoEF had earlier sent UT Administration’s ESZ draft to Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun for vetting.
Notably, contrary to the guidelines of Ministry, the UT Administration, Punjab and Haryana had in 2012, decided to submit separate proposal of ESZ around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary falling in their respective jurisdictions.
The guidelines of the Ministry stated, “In cases where the boundary of a protected area abuts the boundary of another State/Union Territory where it does not form part of any protected area, it shall be the endeavour of both the State/UT Government to have a mutual consultation and decide upon the width of the ESZ around the protected area in question.”