E-Paper
Residents flay Punjab’s 3-km ESZ proposal around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary during public hearing
The committee members assured residents that their representations would be discussed with the chief minister and a final decision would only be taken after taking into consideration the residents’ issues
Following the orders of the Supreme Court, the public redressal committee constituted by the Punjab government on Wednesday held a public hearing regarding the issue of the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary on the Punjab side.
The committee comprised of Punjab cabinet ministers, including Dr Ravjot Singh, Lal Chand Kataruchak, and Hardeep Singh Mundian, who held the public hearing at Punjab Bhawan in Sector 3, where over 100 residents participated.
The residents of villages Kansal, Nada, Nayagaon, and Karoran strongly opposed the move by Punjab forest department, which proposed a 3-km ESZ around the sanctuary. The committee members assured residents that their representations would be discussed with the chief minister and a final decision would only be taken after taking into consideration the residents’ issues.
On November 20, the apex court, while hearing a plea regarding the ESZ, directed Punjab government to consider the concerns of the plot holders before taking a final decision.
The petition was filed by residents of Nayagaon after the Punjab forest department proposed a 1 to 3-km ESZ around the sanctuary on the Punjab side. Chandigarh and Haryana’s areas around the wildlife sanctuary have already been demarcated.
As per Supreme Court directives, permanent structures cannot be constructed within an ESZ for any purpose. Moreover, no commercial construction is allowed within a 0.5 km radius outside the ESZ. In the range of 0.5 km to 1.25 km, construction of low-density and low-rise buildings up to 15 feet is permissible. Beyond 1.25 km, new building construction, including houses, is allowed.
On the Haryana side, an area ranging from 1 km to 2.035 km around the sanctuary has been demarcated, as notified by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) on November 11, 2024.
The UT administration had similarly declared an ESZ of 1 km to 2.75 km from the sanctuary’s boundary on the Chandigarh side in January 2017, notified by the environment ministry the same year.
Vineet Joshi, Chairman of Nayagaon Ghar Bachao Manch, stated that Chandigarh had illegally occupied Punjab’s land. He argued that allowing the proposed 3-km or even 100-m ESZ would validate this illegal action and could render around 2 lakh residents homeless.
He said the Punjab government should reclaim its 2,296.68 acres in Kansal instead of marking an ESZ around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and validating UT’s move.
Harjot Oberoi, president of Kansal Residents Protection of Rights and Welfare Association, who gave a representation, stated that the ESZ should not exceed 100 m, as larger wildlife sanctuaries have implemented similar or smaller buffer zones. He highlighted that 13 sanctuaries in Punjab have ESZs equivalent to 100 m while adding that Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary spans only 26 sq km.
Oberoi urged Punjab government to emphasise that the land belongs to Punjab and was vested with the Union for “soil conservation” under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. He stressed that any declaration of a wildlife sanctuary or ESZ should follow due legal process.
Key concerns of residents
Locals demand the ESZ should not exceed 100 m, as larger sanctuaries have successfully implemented similar or smaller buffer zones. The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, covering 25.98 square km (approximately 6,420 acres), falls under the administrative control of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, and borders both Punjab and Haryana. Located in the ecologically sensitive and geologically unstable Shivalik foothills, the sanctuary’s protection remains a priority for environmentalists. The apex court and Wildlife Institute of India recommend a 100-m buffer zone for sanctuaries under 100 sq km. A buffer zone exceeding 100 m would devastate the densely populated areas of Kansal, Nada, and Karoran, hindering future development.
