PANJIM: The government as well as private agencies undertaking infrastructure projects within the protected areas or eco sensitive zones (ESZs) will have to henceforth shell out two per cent of the project cost towards mitigation measures.
The Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) during its recent meeting has recommended that two per cent of the proportionate cost of projects falling inside protected areas and ESZ may be imposed on user agencies for impact mitigation measures, wherever required in future.
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“This amount should be spent on the mitigation measures within the same Protected Area,” the Committee recommended further.
During the meeting, the Committee was informed that States/UTs impose different percentage of the cost of the project on the project proponent for mitigation of impacts due to developmental activities.
The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has received requests that the cost imposed should be based on the proportion of the project lying within the Protected Area or the ESZ rather than the total cost of the project. The Ministry has also received requests that instead of imposing costs on project proponents, they may be asked to implement mitigation measures.
Accordingly, NBWL member Dr Sukumar suggested that the cost, if any, imposed for mitigation measures should be two per cent of the proportionate cost of projects falling within the protected area or the ESZ. He also suggested that there should be analysis of the cost imposed and mitigation measures taken based on the experience of States/UTs.
