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A total of 92 Eco-Sensitive Zones and two Ecologically Sensitive Areas have been notified in 13 states of the Himalayan region in the country. In order to manage and conserve biodiversity across the Protected Areas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notifies Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) around the Protected Areas (PA). As part of wildlife conservation strategy, in the year 2002, it was decided that an area around each Protected Areas, requires to be notified as an ESZ for creating a buffer as further protection around PAs.
The purpose of declaring ESZ is to create some kind of "shock absorber" for the specialised ecosystem, such as protected areas or other natural sites, to act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection. Besides, in order to protect the biodiversity in areas having ecological significance, the Ministry also notifies Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA), which have unique biological resources and require special attention for their conservation.
As per information given by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, March 23, survey and identification of ESZs are conducted by the respective state governments for consideration of the Union government for declaration of the ESZs in respective states around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries as per the guidelines formulated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
