The UT Administration has finally given its nod to the eco-sensitive zone around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The decision was taken at a meeting of officials chaired by UT Adviser KK Sharma. The decision was hanging fire for the past two years following differences between various departments. Recently, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had extended the deadline from February 15 to May 15 as the UT Administration failed to declare the eco-sensitive zone on time. In a strong-worded letter to the Administration, the ministry had warned that if it failed to meet the deadline, the ministry would declare the 10-km stretch around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary as the eco-sensitive zone where development projects would be banned. Sources revealed that at the meeting today, it was decided that developmental activities would be regulated in the 3-km area around the sanctuary. The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary catchment area is around 36 km out of which only 2 km falls under the jurisdiction of the UT Administration and the remaining area is in Punjab and Haryana. Giving details about the importance of the eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary, a senior UT official said: “With the declaration of the eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary, the forest area will be conserved and it will also help restricting haphazard construction around the sanctuary.” Depts were at loggerheads Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner’s office and the Chief Architect’s office had submitted different points for finalising the area around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary as the eco-sensitive zone. A committee of experts constituted under the Deputy Commissioner had recommended that 5 km area around the sanctuary should be declared as the eco-sensitive zone. However, the Chief Architect’s office in its master plan committee report stated that the area of the eco-sensitive zone should be 2 km. What is eco-sensitive zone? An eco-sensitive zone is a fragile ecosystem area where conservation or preservation of the natural environment is sustained by the state control and grants. In a bid to prevent ecological damage caused due to development activities around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has come out with new guidelines to create eco-sensitive zones that will work as shock absorbers for protected areas. The aim is to regulate certain activities around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to minimise the negative impact of such activities on the fragile ecosystem. Ministry’s guidelines REGULATED ACTIVITIES Felling of trees Establishment of hotels and resorts Widening of roads Use of polythene bags by shopkeepers PERMITTED ACTIVITIES Ongoing agriculture and horticulture practices by local community Rainwater harvesting, organic farming Use of renewable energy sources PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES Commercial mining Setting up of saw mills Commercial use of firewood Establishment of major hydroelectric projects Discharge of effluents and solid waste into natural water bodies or the terrestrial area Use or production of hazardous substances