Relevance: GS III (Environment – Protected Areas & Conservation) | Source: News ON Air ; MoEFCC Notification

1. The Context: A Green Buffer

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has officially declared the area around Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan) as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

  • The Zone: The buffer zone ranges from 0 to 1 km around the sanctuary’s boundary.
  • The Goal: To create a “Shock Absorber” for the fragile ecosystem. This means high-impact activities (like mining) are banned, while low-impact ones (like organic farming) are encouraged to support local livelihoods.

2. Why Kumbhalgarh Matters (Ecological Value)

  • Geography: Nestled in the Aravalli Range, it acts as a natural green wall dividing the sandy plains of Marwar from the rocky plateau of Mewar.
  • Biodiversity: It is a critical habitat for the Indian Wolf, Leopard, and the elusive Indian Pangolin (Endangered). It is also home to the Painted Francolin (state bird of Haryana, but abundant here).
  • The Tiger Link: Kumbhalgarh is long-rumored to become Rajasthan’s next Tiger Reserve (after Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundra, and Ramgarh Vishdhari) to act as a corridor for dispersing tigers.

3. Strategic Importance

  • Heritage & Nature: The sanctuary surrounds the massive Kumbhalgarh Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), famous for having the second-longest wall in the world after China’s Great Wall.
  • Corridor Connectivity: The new ESZ ensures that the wildlife corridor connecting Kumbhalgarh to Todgarh Raoli Sanctuary remains open and unobstructed by concrete jungles.

UPSC Value Box

Concept / Term

Relevance for Prelims

Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)Transitional areas around Protected Areas. They are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. (Crucially, not under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972).
The “Shock Absorber” PrincipleThe purpose of an ESZ is not to ban all human activity, but to regulate it. It creates a transition zone from “High Protection” (Core) to “Less Protection” (General Area).
Kumbhalgarh FortBuilt by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Hill Forts of Rajasthan).

Q. With reference to “Eco-Sensitive Zones” (ESZ) in India, consider the following statements:

  1. Eco-Sensitive Zones are notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  2. The purpose of an ESZ is to prohibit all kinds of human activities within the notified area.
  3. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, recently declared as an ESZ, is located in the Aravalli mountain range.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)

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