Question : Area under ESZ

(a) whether the Government has details of land in sq km under protected forest, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country, if so, the details thereof, State and UT wise;
(b) whether the Government has details of the total land in sq km under the Eco-Sensitive Zone currently; and
(c) whether the freshwater marsh in the Sant Kabir Nagar district which is the largest natural flood plain wetland of Eastern Uttar Pradesh falls under 1 km Eco Sensitive Zone, if so, the details thereof including the steps to conserve this wetland?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) The State/Union Territory (UT) wise details of Protected Forest, National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary are given at Annexure.

(b) The total area covered under Eco-Sensitive Zone, so far notified is 68776.07 sq.km.

(c) The Eco-sensitive Zone around Bakhira Lake Wildlife Sanctuary was published in the Gazette of India vide S.O. 06(E), dated 31st Dec, 2018. The ESZ area is of 35.46 sq. km and the ESZ extent is 1.0 km uniform around the Protected Area. The important steps taken to conserve this wetland are as follows:

(i) Ministry provides financial assistance under Centrally Sponsored Schemes of ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ to State/UT Governments including Uttar Pradesh for the conservation and management for wildlife habitats.

(ii) The Eco-Sensitive Zone notification provides for Zonal Master Plan, which provide restoration of denuded areas, conservation of existing water bodies, management of catchment areas, watershed management, groundwater management, soil and moisture conservation etc.

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