Why is it in the news?

• On September 18, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) proposed designating 3,328 square kilometres around the Gir forest in Gujarat as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
• A week later, a revised draft reduced this area to 2,061 sq km, aiming to accommodate local community needs, as many commercial and infrastructure activities are restricted in ESZs, however, it has faced both public and political backlash.

About Gir

• Gir is a National Park that protects wildlife, including the last remaining Asiatic lions, and ESZs serve as buffer zones to create transition areas for wildlife.
• Gir encompasses several protected areas, including Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and is surrounded by high-density human settlements. Since the early 1990s, Asiatic lions have begun to move outside forest boundaries.
• However, residents have largely tolerated these big cats, accepting occasional livestock losses. Further, the conservation efforts have resulted in an increase in the Asiatic lion population from 327 in 2001 to 674 in 2020.

About Eco-Sensitive Zones

• Eco-Sensitive Zones are defined by the National Environment Policy of 2006 as areas requiring special conservation due to their significant environmental resources.
• Protected Areas help conserve ecosystems affected by human activities and climate change, while ESZs act as buffers for wildlife. Activities such as commercial mining and polluting industries are prohibited in ESZs, although non-polluting small-scale industries are regulated.
• The MoEFCC proposed the concept of ESZs in 2002 to protect lands within 10 km of national parks and sanctuaries.
• The National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) for 2002-2016 emphasized the importance of safeguarding areas outside protected networks for long-term biodiversity. Guidelines for declaring ESZs were issued in 2011, detailing the types of activities allowed or prohibited.
• To declare an ESZ, state forest departments prepare site-specific proposals for each Protected Area, which are then forwarded to the MoEFCC. The ministry issues a draft notification and invites public comments for 60 days.
• After considering these comments, the MoEFCC issues a final ESZ notification based on expert committee recommendations.