Rajendra Singh Raises Concerns Over Projects in Eco-Sensitive Zones
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Article summary
Renowned water conservationist and Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh, often called the 'Waterman of India', has raised serious concerns about the approval and execution of developmental projects within eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) across India, with specific reference to Andhra Pradesh. ESZs are buffer areas notified around protected forests, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, intended to regulate and restrict certain activities that could harm core ecological areas. The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly mandated that a minimum 1-km ESZ be maintained around all protected areas, yet ground-level violations through mining, infrastructure, and industrial projects continue to be reported. Singh's intervention highlights the persistent tension between developmental imperatives and ecological preservation, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions. For UPSC aspirants, this issue sits at the intersection of environmental law, governance accountability, and India's international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
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Sample questions — answers revealed after test
Q1. Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around protected areas in India are declared under which provision of law?
Q2. A state government grants environmental clearance for a limestone quarrying project located 0.7 km from the boundary of a national park. An environmental activist challenges this clearance. Which of the following statements best describes the legal standing of this challenge?
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) regulatory framework in India: 1. Violations of ESZ regulations are prosecuted under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, since ESZs are buffers around wildlife-protected areas. 2. The Supreme Court's 2022 directive mandating a minimum 1-km ESZ around protected areas is legally binding on both the Central and state governments. 3. ESZs function as 'shock absorbers' between the core protected area and the surrounding human-use landscape, regulating but not prohibiting all developmental activities. 4. The Kasturirangan Committee's recommendations were specifically focused on ESZ demarcation in the Himalayan region.