Rajasthan forms committee to protect wildlife areas

Jaipur, Nov 25 - The Rajasthan government has constituted a three-member committee to frame guidelines for demarcating eco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuaries that will act as buffer zones to protect the ecosystem.

The committee has one member each from the forest department, pollution control board and mining department, which will submit a report to the government by January end.

'The committee is expected to submit its report along with their recommendations by January. After studying the report we will implement the proposals,' Rajasthan's Forest Minister Lakshmi Narayan Dave said.

Once an area is declared as eco-sensitive zone all kinds of residential and commercial activities would be stopped in that particular area. Polluting industries in the zones would also be closed.

Further, written permission has to be obtained from the concerned authorities for construction of any building in the area.

A survey has already been initiated to identify the eco-sensitive zones in the parks.

This was undertaken after Supreme Court directed all state governments to set up eco-sensitive zones around national parks, bio reserves and wildlife sanctuaries in their respective states.

Forest officials said mining activities, hotels and resorts that have come up in the vicinity of national parks, are not only damaging the ecosystem but also threatening the wild animals.

The government plans to declare 0-500 metre distance from the periphery of the park as eco-sensitive zone.

Rajasthan is home to a large variety of flora, fauna and avi-fauna in its wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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