Supreme Court explains its order on eco sensitive zones of protected areas, 23/09/2022
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of In Re: T. N. Godavarman Thirumulpad Vs Union of India & Others dated 23/09/2022.
An Application was filed in the Supreme Court seeking clarification of the judgment, June 3, 2022 (IA No. 1000 of 2003). NAREDCO West Foundation (Maharashtra) had filed the application before the SC seeking clarity of the court order.
The SC judgment, June 3, 2022 had directed that each protected forest, that is a national park or wildlife sanctuary, must have an eco-sensitive zone of minimum one kilometre wide. The applicant said that this order could not be applicable to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park as well as the Thane Flamingo Creek Sanctuary. The reason being that the eco-sensitive zone(ESZs) around Sanjay Gandhi National Park has already been notified, December 5, 2016 as well as the eco-sensitive zone around Thane Flamingo Creek Sanctuary, October 14, 2021.
The SC, September 23 said that the June 2022 order had said that a one kilometre wide 'no development zone' may not be feasible in all cases and specific instances with regard to Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Guindy National Park was also made in the judgment.