The Ministry of Environment and Forests in its affidavit tothe Supreme Court on buffer zones has played a new card of Eco Sensitive Zones to actually bypass the court empowered CEC’sown recommendations of a maximum two kilometre buffer zone. In Goas case theCEC’s limit was categorised into 100 metres, 500 metres and one kilometeracross its wild life sanctuaries and national park.
The court had in fact prima facie agreed to the CEC’srecommendations. The MOEF’s new bogey, though not surprising considering itsopen war of attrition with the Goa government (and also other states), isnothing but an attempt to throw another spanner to stop and eradicate allmining in Goa. Jayanthi Nattarajan, the current Environment Minister is underflak not just from Goa but even Congress ruled states which have written totheir party high commands stating that her ministry is blocking all progressand industrialisation by her irrational controls.
The affidavit states that a blanket 10 kilometre EcoSensitive Zone (ESZ) area around all Protected Areas will be operative where nomining or any other ore extraction related activity will be carried out. Thisis a nonchalant rejection of the sensitivities and practical ground realitiesof the CEC which realised that blanket buffer zone demarcations across thecountry were not practical. The CEC, after a detailed study of realities in 102National parks and 515 wildlife sanctuaries, categorised them into six areasfrom upto 10 square kilometrer to above 500 square kilometers. It thenascertained buffer zones for each category.
The CEC report did refer to Safety Zones (Eco Sensitivezones) as a transition zone between areas of very high protection and little orno protection. In the protected areas, all activities are prohibited. On theother hand in the safety zone, some of the activities are either prohibited orregulated and all other activities are permissible. The latest MOEF affidavitseeks to make Eco Sensitive Zones as an extended buffer zone prohibiting allactivity that comes in its wake. This isnothing but arbitrary, uncalled for and made with a motivated application ofmind with the sole purpose of ending not just mining but al economic activityin small states like Goa.
It has even gone to the extent of commenting on the CECrecommendations by saying “the proposed safety zones have been made smallerwithout a substantive and reasonable basis”.
The Ministry has set a time limit of 545 days for completionof setting up of Eco Sensitive Zones starting June 28 this year. The detailedprocess involves framing of proposals by State Forests Department, scrutiny byMoEF, public hearing and final notification by MoEF
Not only are the proposals preposterous, they are made withan intention to stop and further delay a reasonable decision on the issue whichlooked to be settled with the CEC recommendations.
The MOEF’s specific and bullish showdown with the Goagovernment is apparent. It has chosen to completely ignore the Goa government’sletter through its Principal Secretary Mines R K Verma of October 18, whichrequested the MOEF to incorporate Goa’s views in its affidavit. The MOEF hasdone none of that.
The letter was crucial since it reproduced the Goa cabinet’sdecision on buffer zones “It will be aneconomic disaster to accept a 2 kilometer buffer zone for the wild life sanctuariesand national parks in Goa. While the government of Goa is committed to preserveits national heritage, it is also conscious of the impact of the buffercorridor around wild life sanctuaries and national parks on the economicactivity hitherto being pursued and future economic and social developmentneeds”
Sensing the impact, the Goa government has made onesignificant proposal. The letter stated, “More than 30% of the state populationin directly or indirectly dependent on mining or allied activities… and 25% of the state revenue comes frommining…. In view of this five to ten year’s time should be allowed to phase outall non- permitted activities including mining within the buffer zone, subjectto erecting wild life and eco-friendly barriers under the supervision of theChief wild life warden Goa.
The Goa government should not depend on the MOEF toappreciate, understand and incorporate its views. The government has its ownaffidavit and should rely on this to make itself hear in the Supreme Court (thisedit was written on Thursday when The Goan went to press, a day before thematter came up in court).
The only hope is forthe court to see the merit in the arguments of the CEC and the Goa government(since the issue is related to the commencement of mining operations) asagainst the coloured partisan view of the MOEF.
