Panel to study impact of infra projects on Sultanpur park

Aksheev Thakur

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New Delhi March 10

The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) will form a committee under the chairmanship of the Inspector General of Forests to study the impact of housing and other infrastructure projects at Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram. The committee stated that due to the construction of several houses around the national park, the water drainage channels had been blocked.

The committee, which will submit the report by the end of March to the standing committee, will also identify no-development areas for such constructions around the national park.

This decision was made after a proposal was brought before the NBWL to approve a housing project falling within the eco-sensitive zone of the national park.

Although the proposal was approved by the Haryana Government, operationalising the construction required approval from the Union Environment Ministry. Eco-sensitive zones around national parks act as buffer zones to protect wildlife and forests.

“The standing committee was informed that the proposal is for the use of 3.67 hectares of land for an Affordable Group Housing Colony by Mega Infratech Pvt Ltd at Garhi Harsaru village, Sector 95-B, Gurugram. The proposal has been recommended by the Chief Wildlife Warden, the State Board for Wildlife and the state government,” stated the official documents accessed by The Tribune.

Chairman of the standing committee, Bhupender Yadav, who is also the Union Environment Minister, emphasised that Sultanpur National Park is a Ramsar site. “Construction companies are utilising the surrounding areas for low-cost housing schemes. Consequently, we risk permanently losing a Ramsar site,” Yadav stated in the meeting.

“This wetland is crucial in the area, and the water drainage channels have been blocked due to construction. The entire area has become marshy. Therefore, a committee should be constituted. The Haryana Government should present a study of water flow, steps taken for the preservation of wetlands and Ramsar sites in the state, and the measures taken to preserve these wetlands,” he added.

To identify no-development areas

• The committee will submit the report to the standing committee by March-end
• The panel will also identify no-development areas for such constructions around the national park
• The decision was made after a proposal was brought before the National Board for Wildlife to approve a housing project falling within the eco-sensitive zone of the national park
• Although the proposal was approved by the Haryana Government, operationalising the construction required approval from the Union Environment Ministry
• Eco-sensitive zones around national parks act as buffer zones to protect wildlife & forests