PANJIM: With the government intending to promote eco-tourism in eco-sensitive areas (ESA), the process to draft Zonal Master Plans for each of notified ESA around six wildlife protected areas has begun. The plan will categorize various activities under three different heads – permitted, prohibited and regulated.
The Zonal Master Plan will identify areas like private holdings, agricultural cover, human settlement, needs of local communities and extent of development along the ESA. The government has constituted two zonal committees, one each for North and South Goa, and they have to submit the report within a year. Both the committees are headed by the Chief Town Planner.
“In the first phase, the committee has decided to map the eco-sensitive zones in the protected areas. This will help us identify the extent of area for development that can be promoted,” a highly placed source at the secretariat told Herald.
“The Master Plan will give a clear picture as how best to go about eco-tourism in eco-sensitive areas,” the source added.
The master plan will be prepared for six sanctuaries including the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.
The committee will have to submit the plan to the State Eco-Sensitive Monitoring Committee headed by the Chief Secretary, which will then be placed before the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests (MoEF) for approval.
“Various aspects like ground water management, soil-water conservation, needs of local communities, existing urban settlement, agricultural areas, etc will be highlighted in the master plan,” sources added.
