Centre notifies Eco-sensitive Zone around Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi, Aug 11:

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has issued a gazette notification declaring Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary in Dhenkanal district of Odisha as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

kapilas sanctuary

As per the notification, a 393.87 sq km area around the wildlife sanctuary has been declared as Eco-Sensitive Zone. The extent of ESZ varies from 500 m to 13.15 km from the boundary of the Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary.

Notably, as many as 36 villages in Dhenkanal and Cuttack districts fall within the proposed ESZ of Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary. The 30 villages in Dhenkanal district are: Achhanda, Dahimal, Harekrishnapur, Khajuria, Krushnakumarpur, Sankhua, Baunsagotha, Biradia, Chandaboula, Ambanali, Bania, Chandrasekharpur, Chhatia, Chhotatentuli, Deogan, Ghoraghori, Mahisiakada, Mahulkhali, Kolha, Mundamari, Neulpol, Similia, Sorisiapada, Talapada, Haraberena, Deojhar, Ramei, Nuachaulia, Jamuria and Chatighar. The six villages in Cuttack district are: Radhakrushnapur, Mahalaxmipur, Radharamanpur, Orada, Bhagua and Banjhiaambha.

The state government shall, for the purpose of the administration of the Eco Sensitive Zone, prepare a Zonal Master Plan, within a period of one year from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, in consultation with the local people and adhering to the stipulations given in the notification, the document read.

The Zonal Master Plan shall be prepared in consultation with the concerned departments: Environment, Forest, Urban Development, Tourism, Municipal, Revenue, Agriculture and Odisha State Pollution Control Board, for integrating environmental and ecological considerations to it, the notification said.

For effective monitoring of the ESZ, the Central government has constituted a monitoring committee comprising—Dhenkanal Collector as Chairman, Dhenkanal and Cuttack Superintendents of Police (SPs) as members, representative of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change as member, Regional Officer, Odisha State Pollution Control Board as member, expert in the field of environment wildlife and ecology to be nominated by the state government for a period of one year in each case as member, one representative of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the field of environment to be nominated by the state government for a period of one year in each case as member, concerned Divisional Forest Officers as members and Divisional Forests Officer, Dhenkanal Forest Division as Member Secretary.

Besides, the monitoring committee shall submit the annual action taken report of its activities as on 31st March every year by 30th June of that year to the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state in the specified proforma, it added.

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