PANAJI
The State government has reconstituted a 16-member committee under the chief secretary to monitor activities within eco-sensitive zones of the five wildlife sanctuaries and one bird sanctuary in Goa. The government has nominated three new members to the committee.
The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), in 2015-16, had declared an area to the extent of 1km around a protected area as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). Accordingly, the State Level Eco-Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee (SESZMC) has been put in place for effective monitoring of all notified ESZs.
Apart from the government officials, the committee includes one representative of a non-government organisation, one of a community-based organisation and one expert from the field of Ecology from a reputed institution or university.
These members include Savio Correira (NGO), Pandurang Patil (President of Rivona) and Sachin Tendulkar, CEO, Mineral Foundation.
The principal secretary, environment, and the principal chief conservator of forests, wildlife, are also part of the committee. Additionally, secretaries of forests, agriculture, rural development, housing, urban development, ports, transport and revenue departments will serve on the committee.
The annual action-taken report will have to be submitted by the committee on its activities up to March 31 of a given year to the Union Environment Ministry by June 30 of that year.
“All activities that are covered under the notification of the Government of India dated September 14, 2006, but fall within such eco-sensitive zones as notified by the central government by issuing notifications in respect to the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the state of Goa, except for the prohibited activities specified in table under paragraph 4 thereof, shall be scrutinised by the SESZMC based on the actual site-specific condition and refer the same to the regulatory authorities concerned,” states the Goa government notification.
