The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has raised objections on eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) proposal of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary submitted by Punjab Government and has asked the State Government to re-consider its ESZ proposal. A senior official of the UT Administration said that in a joint meeting of Punjab Government, Haryana Government and UT Administration held on Wednesday under MoEF, the Ministry has issued directions to Punjab Government to re-consider its ESZ proposal and make amendments in it. “The Ministry has asked the Punjab Government to make amendments in the clauses pertaining to Municipal land and Lal Dora in their proposed ESZ area. Punjab Government had proposed that the Lal dora and municipal land will be excluded from the proposed 100 meters radius of ESZ area,” said a senior official of UT Administration. The UT Administration in the meeting had also raised objection to the 100 meters radius of ESZ proposed by the Punjab Government. At the meeting, Haryana Government informed that their ESZ proposal has been prepared and would be soon submitted to the Ministry. Notably, the UT Administration and Punjab Government had submitted their ESZ proposals to the Ministry last year. In its ESZ draft, the UT Administration has proposed an area ranging from 2 km to 2.75 km as ESZ around the Sanctuary while Punjab Government has reduced the radius of the ESZ to 100 meters in its proposal. Recently, the UT Administration had also shot off a letter to Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) urging it not to accept the ESZ proposal of Punjab Government without its consent. In a letter sent to the MoEF, the UT Forest and Wildlife department had requested the Ministry, to not accept the ESZ proposal of Punjab as the UT authorities are not being consulted on the issue. 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 kilometres. Out of the total area of catchment, about 2 km falls under the jurisdiction of UT Administration and rest falls under the jurisdiction of the neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana. Notably, contrary to the guidelines of Ministry, the UT Administration, Punjab and Haryana had in 2012, decided to submit separate proposal of ESZ around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary falling in their respective jurisdictions.