New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) The Ministry of Environment has issued a draft notification declaring 326.69 sq km around the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA) in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
ESZs are areas notified by the ministry around protected areas, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to create “shock absorbers” for such areas by regulating and managing the activities around the region.
“It is necessary to conserve and protect the area, extent and boundary… around the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area as an eco-sensitive zone from ecological, environmental and biodiversity point of view and to prohibit industries or class of industries and their operations and processes in the said eco-sensitive zone,” said the draft notification published on Wednesday.
The ministry has invited comments from stakeholders over a period of 60 days.
The GHNPCA comprises the Great Himalayan National Park (754.40 sq km), the Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary (90 sq km) and the Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary (61 sq km).
It hosts rich floral diversity comprising 128 families, 427 genera and 832 plant species. Biodiversity surveys conducted during the past decade have recorded 31 mammal species, 224 bird species, 12 reptile species, nine amphibian species, and 125 insect species, according to the notification. PTI ALC DIV DIV
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