1. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman fulfilled the Modi government’s commitment by presenting a ‘white paper’ on the Indian economy in the Lok Sabha.
2. The ‘white paper’ intends to juxtapose the economic achievements of the Congress-led UPA government with those of the BJP-led NDA government.
3. Its presentation follows the announcement made during the Union Interim Budget declaration on February 1.
New Delhi, Feb 09: In the last five years, the Centre has approved 43 out of 53 project proposals within eco-sensitive zones (ESZ), which are areas falling within a 10-km radius of protected areas, as revealed by Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey in response to queries raised in the Rajya Sabha.
Additionally, during this period, 689 project proposals for projects within protected areas (PA) were given the green light by the Standing Committee of the NBWL, with 231 approvals granted last year alone.
Choubey clarified that projects or activities in notified ESZs around Protected Areas are regulated according to the ESZ notification, issued by the ministry on May 17, 2022.
Such activities covered under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, require prior environmental clearance as per the provisions of the said notification.
However, if the ESZ is not notified or is in the draft stage, environmental clearance is needed for projects/activities within the default ESZ, i.e., the zone within 10 km of the boundaries of protected areas, including National Parks and Sanctuaries.
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Furthermore, projects within these areas necessitate consideration by the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL)/Standing Committee for National Board of Wildlife (SCNBWL).
Proposals are then granted environmental clearance following approval by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) constituted by the Ministry for this purpose.
Environmental experts stress the importance of avoiding and exploring alternatives to projects that disrupt wildlife habitats and corridors. With just over 5% of the landmass designated as Wildlife Protected Areas, many of these areas exist as isolated pockets surrounded by human settlements and infrastructure.
This fragmented landscape poses a significant threat to wildlife species, leaving them vulnerable to extinction.
To address this challenge, it is crucial to protect and preserve natural habitats and migration routes essential for the survival of various species.
This includes adopting measures to minimize human-wildlife conflict and mitigate the adverse impacts of development projects on ecosystems.
By prioritizing conservation and sustainable development practices, we can safeguard biodiversity and ensure the long-term survival of wildlife populations.
