Bhopal: ‘Shock Absorbers’ To Come Up Between National Parks & Human Habitation

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) has prepared Eco-Sensitive Zone Master Plans for all the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the state. The idea is to develop a sort of ‘shock absorbers’ between the boundaries of the parks, sanctuaries and human habitation.

The master plans are being prepared for all the 27 National Parks and Sanctuaries in the state and the draft plans are ready for seven including Bandhavgarh National Park, Panpatha Wildlife Sanctuary, Sanjay National Park and Sanjay Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary, Son Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, and Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change has notified the area within 2 km distance from the periphery of parks and sanctuaries as ‘Eco-Sensitive Zone’. The state governments have been asked to prepare Eco-Sensitive Zone Master Plans for the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries within their jurisdictions. Madhya Pradesh has become the pioneer in implementing the decision.

The board is preparing the master plans in consultation with the forest and environment departments of the state government. It will include measures to conserve the vegetation and water bodies in the eco-sensitive zone ensuring that the access of the people residing within the zone to basic facilities is not affected.

Joint director (planning), MPTB, Prashant Baghel has told Free Press that the plans will help promote responsible and sustainable wildlife tourism. No commercial construction (resorts etc.) will be allowed in the area within one km from the boundary of the reserved and protected forests. Similarly, it will be ensured that the number of tourists visiting national parks and sanctuaries is not more than their carrying capacities.

The MPTB has appointed a consultant for the work, which did the baseline survey. The data collected from the survey was presented before a committee headed by divisional commissioners, under whose jurisdiction the parks or sanctuaries fell.

A committee headed by the additional chief secretary, forests and comparing principal secretaries of other relevant departments will give a final nod to the master plans. The master plans of some sanctuaries, which are yet to be notified, will be prepared later. The plan for Kuno Sanctuary will be prepared once the work of revision of its boundaries is complete, Baghel adds.