Rajendra Singh Raises Concerns Over Projects in Eco-Sensitive Zones
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.
Environmental Law & Institutions
This sub-topic has appeared in 7 UPSC Prelims questions.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are declared under Section 3(2)(v) of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and are governed by the ESZ notification framework under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The Supreme Court in its 2022 judgment (In Re: T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad) directed that every protected area must have a minimum 1-km ESZ, prohibiting activities like mining, quarrying, and large construction.
●ESZs serve as 'shock absorbers' or transition zones between high-protection core areas and human-use areas.
●The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 governs the core protected areas, while ESZs add a regulatory buffer.
●Rajendra Singh's concerns echo the findings of the Kasturirangan Committee on Western Ghats, which recommended strict ESZ demarcation.
●India has over 900 protected areas, and ESZ notifications for many remain pending or contested.
The Supreme Court's 1-km mandatory ESZ ruling is a critical prelims fact — violations within ESZs are governed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986, not the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
◎ In Simple Words
Imagine a national park is like a school, and the area around it is a 'quiet zone' where you can't honk or play loud music — that's what an eco-sensitive zone is for forests and wildlife. Rajendra Singh, a famous water hero who has spent his life saving rivers and forests, is worried that big construction and industrial projects are being allowed inside these quiet zones. This is like letting a factory open right next to a hospital. He wants the government to stop these projects and properly protect the areas around our forests and wildlife sanctuaries.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 1 question
Under which legislation are Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) notified in India, and which authority is responsible for their declaration?
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