ESZ around Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh

Summary (2 min)

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued this draft to declare an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Rupi-Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. This aims to protect the sanctuary’s biodiversity, regulate human activities, and ensure sustainable development in the surrounding areas.

Background

The Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary located in the Nichar sub-division of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh, 

and is spread over an area of 503 square kilometres. It shares boundaries with the Great Himalayan National Park and Pin Valley National Park.

Key Proposals: 

1) Extent and Boundaries of the ESZ:

The ESZ will extend up to 3.45 km around the boundary of the Rupi-Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary, covering approximately 85.53 sq. km.

2) Prohibited Activities:

3) Regulated Activities: 

4) Permitted Activities: 

5) Zonal Master Plan:

• The State Government is responsible for preparing a Zonal Master Plan for the ESZ within two years of publishing this notification.

• The plan will focus on conservation measures, regulated development and sustainable tourism in the ESZ. 

• The plan will identify buffer zones in the ESZ, eco-tourism sites and areas for community participation.

• The plan is responsible for ensuring that development activities do not harm the sanctuary’s ecosystem.

  
  

6) Measures to be Taken by the Government: 

• The state Government is responsible for strengthening the wildlife protection laws and enforcing strict penalties for illegal activities such as poaching, illegal logging and encroachment on forest lands.

• The State Government must implement waste management and pollution control measures to maintain environmental balance including the establishment of proper waste disposal sites and place restrictions on the usage of plastics within the ESZ. It must also conduct regular environmental impact assessments (EIAs) to evaluate the effects of developmental activities within the ESZ and ensure compliance with conservation guidelines.

• It is also responsible for promoting community-based conservation programs to involve locals in protecting biodiversity by creating incentives for sustainable practices such as forest conservation. It must enhance eco-tourism policies to generate local employment while ensuring sustainability by setting guidelines for responsible tourism, developing eco-friendly infrastructure and training local guides.

• Developing alternative livelihood programs for communities dependent on forest resources, such as promoting beekeeping, organic farming, and handicraft industries and establish awareness programs in local schools and communities to educate people about conservation laws, wildlife protection, and sustainable practices.

• It must encourage afforestation and restoration projects to improve habitat conditions by planting native tree species, restoring degraded lands and controlling soil erosion alongside improving wildlife monitoring and research by establishing scientific studies on local flora and fauna, using technology such as camera traps and maintaining biodiversity databases.

  
  

7) Monitoring Committee: 

• A Monitoring Committee will be established to oversee ESZ compliance and development.

• The committee will include forest officials, pollution control board representatives, local community members and environmental experts who will be responsible for reviewing project approvals, conservation efforts and any violations of ESZ rules.

• The committee must submit annual reports to the MoEFCC on the status of the ESZ on a regular basis. 

You can access the full draft here.