Not in nature of things

In April this year, the Haryana government proposed a campaign to supply plants to all households in the state. At the same time, it sought exemption under the Forest Conservation Act, arguing somewhat disingenuously that seeking permission for carrying out any activity in protected areas made little sense since the state had no tribal population. Seems like a paradox, but isn't. Despite drawing clear environment protection boundaries to ward off private ventures, their paths are bound to cross in areas near the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Particularly when an industrialist-politician lobby is able to dangle such tantalising gains and profits that the clamour for doing away with restrictions comes from locals, who logically should be the ones opposing the intrusion.

Haryana's keenness to shrink the size of eco-sensitive zones and open the freed areas for infrastructure development has to be seen in that light. It is an ill-advised approach, fraught with the danger of misuse and ecological destruction. The zones are meant to minimise the negative impact of industrialisation and unplanned development within a 10-km radius of the protected area, acting as a shock absorber. The problems cited by various states are genuine. The natural landscape, through a satellite survey, is taken into account while notifying an eco-sensitive zone though the cultural landscape, with human habitation, is what matters. So, even farming on private land that falls under the zone needs sanction. That is still not reason enough for Haryana to push for a reduced zonal area. A regulatory policy preserves the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected area. Case-based exemptions would make better sense. Lifting regulations would only open the floodgates for land sharks.

In Chandigarh, the administration is keen on at least a 1-km radius eco-sensitive zone around the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary, though Punjab suggests 100 metres since that would gladden the hearts of the builders' lobby. Uttarakhand wants compensation for "compromising" economic growth to conserve natural resources since no power project can henceforth come up on the Bhagirathi. Nature stands no chance before the human nature to wilt.