Brief overview of the ongoing protests on Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan The demands of the protesters and the response of the Congress government in the state

Introduction:

• The Supreme Court has modified its judgment to have mandatory eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) of a minimum one kilometre around protected forests, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country. In this context, this article will analyze the reasons behind this modification and its implications.

Reasons for Modification:

• ESZ cannot be uniform across the country and has to be “protected area-specific”.
• The judicial direction affected hundreds of villages on the peripheries of forests.
• A stringent observance of the June 2022 judgment would cause more harm than good.
• Man-animal conflict would only increase rather than abate.

Implications:

• The modification will provide relief to citizens residing in ESZs who were facing restrictions in their day-to-day activities.
• The modification will help in reducing man-animal conflicts which have increased due to shrinking habitats of wild animals.
• The modification will also protect the interests of villagers residing on the peripheries of forests.
• Mining within the national park and wildlife sanctuary and within an area of one kilometre from the boundary of such national park and wildlife sanctuary shall not be permissible. This will help in protecting the environment from the harmful effects of mining.

Conclusion:

• The modification of the Supreme Court’s judgment to have mandatory eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) of a minimum one kilometre around protected forests, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country is a welcome move. While it is important to protect the environment, it is equally important to take into account the interests of citizens residing in ESZs and villagers on the peripheries of forests. The modification will help in striking a balance between the two. Moreover, the prohibition on mining within the national park and wildlife sanctuary and within an area of one kilometre from the boundary of such national park and wildlife sanctuary will help in protecting the environment from the harmful effects of mining.