TEAM HERALD
BELGAUM: With a rise in incidents of man-animal conflicts in the forest areas bordering Karnataka and Goa, the Karnataka government is planning to restructure the present Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
The Karnataka government has taken up the matter on top priority as the present ESZ has hampered developmental activities in the zone, due to which villagers are facing a tough time.
A recent subcommittee formed under the chairmanship of Forests Minister B Ramnath Rai commenced its survey in Karnataka from Thursday.
Based on the K Kasturirangan Committee recommendations, 1,537 villages in Karnataka including a few in Khanapur taluka bordering Goa, have come under ESZ. The ongoing survey will look into the ground reality and opinions of the villagers after which this number is expected to be brought down to 800.
According to the sources in the ministry of forest, the cabinet subcommittee has determined to cut down 37 per cent of the extent of areas included in the K Kasturirangan committee report for conservation of the Western Ghats. Accordingly, a proposal will be prepared in the coming days and forwarded to the Center for approval.
“Thus the ongoing survey will determine the ESZ in tune with the realities to declare ‘no-activity zones.’ After the demarcation of the forest boundaries, the proposed 10-km distance from the forest fringes (ESZ) could even come down to 500 metres in specific areas against the recommended 10 kms,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity.
In its recommendations, the committee after the survey is complete is expected to submit its revised plan to the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The subcommittee also intends not to consider plantation areas under the deemed forest category for which a separate survey is going on to determine the deemed forest areas.
The committee has also recommended that the recommended distance of banning any development or farming activities from the minimum 10 kms from the protected forest areas may be reduced to a minimum of 1 km and to a maximum of 8 kms.
