Statutory Basis: Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are notified under Section 3(2)(v) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, read with Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.

Nodal Ministry: ESZs are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Objective: ESZs act as “shock absorbers” around Protected Areas and serve as transition zones balancing conservation with sustainable development.

ESZ Guidelines: MoEFCC issued ESZ Guidelines in 2011, classifying activities into Prohibited, Regulated and Permitted categories.

Activities in ESZ

• Prohibited: Commercial mining, polluting industries (as specified).
• Regulated: Hotels, tourism infrastructure, road widening, tree felling.
• Permitted: Organic farming, rainwater harvesting, renewable energy and traditional agriculture (subject to notification conditions).

Width of ESZ: There is no uniform ESZ width. It is site-specific. The Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002 recommended up to 10 km as a general principle, not a mandatory norm.

Latest Supreme Court Ruling

• In June 2022, the Supreme Court mandated a minimum 1 km ESZ around Protected Areas. In April 2023, it modified the order, holding that the 1 km rule does not apply where final or draft ESZ notifications already exist, or where areas share interstate boundaries, allowing site-specific ESZs.
• Mining is prohibited within National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and within 1 km from their boundaries; this prohibition was retained by the Supreme Court.

Applicability: ESZs are notified only around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries; they are not automatically applicable to Reserved Forests, Protected Forests or Conservation Reserves.