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Odisha Tiger Reserve ESZ Delay: Centre Cites State Inaction
19 Oct
Summary
- Final notification for Similipal tiger reserve's eco-sensitive zone remains pending.
- Union environment ministry blames Odisha for repeated failures to provide information.
- Draft notification was issued seven years ago; over 29 tiger reserves lack finalized ESZs.
The final notification for an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Odisha's Similipal tiger reserve remains outstanding, seven years after the initial draft was released. The Union environment ministry attributes this extensive delay to the state government's persistent failure to furnish required information, despite numerous reminders issued since July of last year.
The draft notification for the ESZ, encompassing Similipal Tiger Reserve and Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, was first issued on January 29, 2019. The process has been stalled due to ongoing revisions, consultations, and requests for additional data. The ministry emphasized in an affidavit before the National Green Tribunal that the ESZ notification cannot be bypassed without complete information, which is crucial for scrutiny and expert consideration.
Discrepancies and information gaps were identified by an expert committee as early as June 2019. Although the state proposed restrictions on mining activities in 2019, subsequent requests for public representatives' objections led to a hold on finalization. An updated proposal was eventually received from Odisha on October 5, 2023, after concurrence from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
This delay mirrors a national trend, with a recent ministry report indicating that only 29 out of 58 tiger reserves in India have had their ESZs notified, leaving the remaining 29 in various stages of the finalization process.
