Sec 21 bird sanctuary is eco-sensitive zone

Ramkrishan Upadhyay 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, January 19 

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has declared the area around bird sanctuary in Sector 21 as the as the eco-sensitive zone 

In a notification issued recently by the ministry, the total area to an extent varying from 80m to 125m from the boundary of the bird sanctuary will be treated as eco-sensitive zone. 

The ministry issued the notification after considering the objections on the draft notification issued in July 2015.  The area was declared as Wildlife Sanctuary vide Chandigarh Administration on September 3, 1998, with a total area of 2.90 hectare. 

With the declaration the eco-sensitive zone, the administration will have to prepare eco-sensitive zonal master plan, within a period of two years in consultation with local people. 

The plan shall not impose any restriction on the approved existing land use, infrastructure and activities. The plan shall regulate development in eco-sensitive zone so as to ensure eco-friendly development and livelihood security of local communities. It shall not be used or converted into areas for commercial or industrial related development activities 

The vehicular movement of traffic shall be regulated in a habitat friendly manner and specific provisions in this regard shall be incorporated in the zonal master plan and till such time as the zonal master plan is prepared and approved by the competent authority

The government has also formed a eco-sensitive zone monitoring committee  for effective monitoring of the eco-sensitive zone,