The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has proposed declaring a uniform one-kilometre area around the Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary in Tinsukia district, Assam, as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

The draft notification, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, invites public objections and suggestions before the proposal is finalised. The objective is to protect the sanctuary’s biodiversity while allowing regulated development and supporting local livelihoods.

About Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary

• The sanctuary is an important biodiversity hotspot in Upper Assam, particularly known for its rich primate population.
• It covers approximately 7.21 square kilometres and consists of three separate forest patches: Bherjan (1.06 sq km), Borajan (1.76 sq km) and Padumoni (4.39 sq km).
• The three forest patches were collectively declared a wildlife sanctuary by the Assam government on October 13, 1999.
• The sanctuary contains remnants of Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest, Eastern Seasonal Swamp Forest and Assam alluvial plains semi-evergreen forests.
• It forms part of the Assam Plains Endemic Bird Area and provides important habitat for primates and woodland birds.

Important Wildlife Species Include

• Primates: Hoolock gibbon, capped langur, Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque and stump-tailed macaque.
• Other mammals: Leopard, golden jackal, wild pig and barking deer.
• Birds: Lesser adjutant stork, crested serpent eagle, hill myna and green magpie.
• Vegetation: Native tree species such as Mekai, Morhal, Hingori, Uriam and Tezpat.

What Is an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)?

• An Eco-Sensitive Zone is a regulated area around protected areas that acts as a “shock absorber” between highly protected ecosystems and areas of greater human activity.
• The extent of an Eco-Sensitive Zone can vary depending on ecological sensitivity, wildlife corridors, connectivity patches and landscape linkages.
• Activities are broadly classified into prohibited, regulated and permitted categories.
• Eco-Sensitive Zones are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The main objectives are:
  • To create a protective buffer around wildlife habitats.
  • To regulate industrial, commercial and infrastructure activities that may damage the ecosystem.
  • To reduce pollution, habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.
  • To promote sustainable livelihoods and environmentally responsible tourism.
• An ESZ is not automatically a no-development zone. Activities are classified as prohibited, regulated or permitted, depending on their environmental impact and the applicable notification.

Key Features of the Proposed ESZ

• The draft proposes a uniform one-kilometre ESZ around the sanctuary.
• Activities that may cause significant ecological damage will be prohibited or regulated.
• Forests, agricultural land, horticultural areas, parks and recreational open spaces will be protected from conversion into major commercial, residential or industrial complexes.
• Basic infrastructure, improvement of existing roads and non-polluting cottage industries may be considered subject to prescribed safeguards.
• Eco-tourism facilities, including homestays, may be permitted under appropriate regulations.

Zonal Master Plan: A Key Planning Mechanism

• After publication of the final notification in the Official Gazette, the Assam government will have to prepare a Zonal Master Plan within two years.
• The plan will be prepared in consultation with local communities and relevant government departments.
• It will focus on:
  • Identifying existing forests, agricultural land, settlements, water bodies and horticultural areas.
  • Promoting ecological restoration and watershed management.
  • Conserving groundwater and protecting soil moisture.
  • Regulating tourism according to the ecological carrying capacity of the region.
  • Ensuring that development activities remain compatible with biodiversity conservation.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

The proposed one-kilometre Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary reflects the importance of landscape-level conservation, where protection of wildlife habitats is integrated with regulated development and local livelihood needs.

One-line wrap: Protecting Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni requires conserving not only its forests and wildlife but also the ecological landscape surrounding the sanctuary.