Revision summary
Ecologically sensitive areas are habitats that break if mining, hotels, or roads crowd them. ESZs buffer parks and sanctuaries, often up to about ten kilometres unless a local notification differs. The Western Ghats ESA debate runs from Gadgil’s wide map to Kasturirangan’s narrower one. CRZ, Wetlands Rules 2017, and island/Himalaya/Aravalli stretches complete the map. EPA 1986, wildlife and forest statutes, and NBWL/CRZ gates are the main Union policies.
Model answer
Introduction
Ecologically sensitive areas are landscapes where a small extra road, mine, or township can break a unique habitat. In India they include buffers around protected areas, the Western Ghats, coasts, wetlands, islands, and stretches of the Himalaya and Aravallis. Policy is mostly the Environment (Protection) Act used as a zoning tool, plus wildlife and forest law.
Body
Where they are
- Eco-Sensitive Zones around national parks and sanctuaries (MoEFCC guidelines, typically up to ten kilometres unless a site-specific notification says otherwise) try to keep mining, polluting industry, and dense hotels off the park edge.
- The Western Ghats are a global biodiversity hotspot. Gadgil’s Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel asked for a wide ESA; Kasturirangan’s HLWG narrowed it. Notifications remain contested and incomplete in several States.
- Coastal Regulation Zone maps the shore, creeks, and ecologically sensitive coastal stretches (mangroves, coral, turtle beaches).
- Wetlands under the 2017 Rules, Ramsar sites, and island ecosystems (Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep) are sensitive because a fill or a port ends the sponge.
- Himalayan towns, Aravalli ridges, sacred groves, and elephant corridors function as sensitive even when a gazette ESA tag is late.
Protection policies
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, is the parent power for ESZ and ESA notifications, with prohibited and regulated activities listed in each gazette.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, Forest (Conservation) Act as amended, and the Biological Diversity Act add species, forest-land, and biodiversity-management tools.
- Project Tiger, Project Elephant, CAMPA, National Board for Wildlife clearances, and CRZ appraisal (now often through coastal authorities) are the operational gates.
- Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, ban prohibited activities on notified wetlands and push State wetland authorities.
Protection fails when an ESZ is a paper ring and a linear project is cleared as fait accompli. It works when the notification is site-specific, monitored, and backed by a living gram sabha and forest staff.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD ESA[Sensitive areas] --> Z[ESZ around parks] ESA --> W[Western Ghats] ESA --> C[CRZ wetlands islands] EPA[EPA 1986 WPA FCA] --> ESA R[Wetlands Rules 2017] --> C
Conclusion
India’s sensitive map is ESZs, Western Ghats, CRZ coasts, wetlands, islands, and mountain ridges. EPA 1986 notifications, wildlife and forest law, Wetlands Rules 2017, and CRZ are the Union policy stack. Gazette text must become on-ground no-go if sensitivity is to mean anything.
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Next question in the 2024 paper (Q18). View answer →
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Is every ten-kilometre park ring already an ESZ?
No. Ten kilometres is a default guideline. Legal force comes from a site-specific notification.
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Did the Western Ghats ESA finish?
Not as one settled all-State gazette. Drafts, State objections, and partial notifications continue.
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