Finally done with an uphill task of preparing eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) proposal, the UT Administration has now shot off a letter to Punjab and Haryana urging them to prepare their respective proposals for creating ESZ around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.
After submitting its proposal to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for creation of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, the UT Administration has written to neighbouring State Governments of Punjab and Haryana asking them to submit their respective ESZ proposals before the deadline that ends on July 15 now.
The MoEF had recently extended the deadline of submitting the ESZ proposal to July 15.
In a communiqué sent to the neighbouring States, the UT Administration has asked the State Governments to complete the process of preparing the proposal for creation of ESZ around the Sanctuary at the earliest.
The UT Administration has also apprised them about the submission of UT’s ESZ proposal to MoEF. The Administration had submitted the ESZ proposal to the Ministry last month.
A copy of UT’s ESZ proposal is also likely to be sent to these states.
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 the catchment, about 2 km falls under the jurisdiction of the UT Administration and rest falls under the jurisdiction of the neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana.”
Of the total catchment area of the Sukhna lake, nearly 29 sq km falls in Chandigarh, 2.77 sq km in Punjab and about 10.22 sq km in Haryana.
While talking to The Pioneer, Santosh Kumar, UT Chief Wildlife Warden and Conservator of Forests said, “The UT Administration has written to the State Governments of Punjab and Haryana. The Administration has asked the neighbouring governments to prepare the ESZ proposal around the Sanctuary and sent it to MOEF as we have already sent the proposal.”
He added, “We have apprised them that the UT Administration has already sent the proposal to the Ministry. And, the state governments should also initiate the process to draft the ESZ proposal now.”
Contrary to the guidelines of Ministry, the UT Administration, Punjab and Haryana had last year 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.”