June 17th 2024.
Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change made a major announcement for the Kendrapara district in Odisha. They have released a draft notification for an Eco-Sensitive Zone, which will cover 209 villages and a population of approximately 2.75 lakh people. This zone will encompass the Bhitarkanika National Park and the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, both of which are well-known for their unique ecosystems.
Bhitarkanika is renowned as the second largest mangrove forest in India, following the Sundarbans, while Gahirmatha is known as the world's largest rookery of sea turtles. According to Manas Das, the assistant conservator of forest for the national park, the Eco-Sensitive Zone will span 497.67 square kilometers, ranging from 0.10 to 8.7 kilometers around the boundaries of the national park, wildlife sanctuary, and marine sanctuary.
The purpose of this zone is to create a buffer area around the core protected forest areas to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, promote the conservation of wildlife within their natural habitat, and protect fragile ecosystems. This will cover 205 villages in the Aul, Pattamundai, Rajnagar, Rajkanika, and Mahakalapada blocks of Kendrapara district, as well as the Chandabali block in Bhadrak district. Suggestions and objections to this proposed eco-sensitive zone are welcome until August 9, 2024.
The proposed ESZ will encompass a total area of 497.67 square kilometers, including 205 villages in the Aul, Pattamundai, Mahakalapada, Rajkanika, and Rajnagar blocks of Kendrapara district, as well as the Chandabali block of Bhadrak district. The Bhitarkanika area is home to the largest population of estuarine crocodiles in India and is known for its diverse reptile population. It also boasts the largest heronry in Asia, where annual nesting activities occur during the monsoon season, and is a popular destination for migrating birds during the winter.
Bhitarkanika is also the second Ramsar site in Odisha, and Gahirmatha is globally renowned for its mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles. According to the draft notification, a zonal master plan will be developed within two years. The use of land owned by locals for commercial or industrial purposes will require approval from the state government.
The master plan will focus on restoring denuded areas, conserving existing water bodies, managing catchment areas, promoting watershed management, and conserving groundwater, soil, and moisture. It will also address the needs of the local community and other ecological and environmental concerns. The construction of new hotels and resorts will not be permitted within one kilometer of the protected area or within the Eco-Sensitive Zone, whichever is closer.
In this proposed zone, certain activities such as setting up industries that cause pollution, stone crushers, commercial mining, sawmills, shrimp farms, brick kilns, and commercial use of firewood and hydroelectric power projects will not be allowed. However, the construction of roads and power lines will require permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Only non-polluting industries will be permitted within the eco-sensitive zone.
All activities within the eco-sensitive zone will be subject to the provisions of the Environment Act and its rules, including the Coastal Regulation Zone, 2011, the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, and other relevant laws such as the Forest Act, 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. This step is a crucial one in preserving the delicate balance of nature and protecting the rich biodiversity of the Bhitarkanika National Park and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
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