Zonal plan to regulate activities at Sultanpur Park soon

According to the statement, a proposal to ban groundwater extraction in the zone was discussed in the meeting.

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), in a meeting on Wednesday, said a draft zonal master plan to regulate developmental activities at the ecologically sensitive zone around the Sultanpur National Park will be prepared soon. The plan will ban deforestation and construction in the area, besides putting in place other restrictions, according to a statement released by the authority.

Another point discussed to be included in the plan was the construction of commercial entities in the zone.(HT image)

The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had, in 2010, declared an area up to five kilometres from the boundary of the Sultanpur National Park “ecologically sensitive”, to protect the biodiversity. The MoEF had observed that the park was important for the presence of aquatic avifauna and territorial birds, and said that protecting the park is important from the ecological and environmental viewpoints.

According to the statement, a proposal to ban groundwater extraction in the zone was discussed in the meeting. “It was deliberated that prior permission would be needed from the wildlife department and the MoEF to install new tubewells,” the press release stated.

Another proposal discussed in the meeting was about construction for agriculture. It is likely that the draft plan permits construction, for agriculture work, between 300 metres and 500 metres, the height of which should not exceed two floors or 25 feet, the release said. To widen roads or construct new ones in the zone, prior permission will be needed from the forest department and MoEF, according to officials.

Solid waste management was also discussed. “All gram panchayats falling in the five-kilometre zone will be mandated to follow solid waste management rules and practice waste composting. Discharge of treated water and effluents will be mandated to be done as per the National Green Tribunal’s instructions,” said V Umashankar, chief executive officer of the GMDA.

Another point discussed to be included in the plan was the construction of commercial entities in the zone. Hotels, restaurants, warehouses, etc, can only be built at least at a distance of three kilometres from the boundary wall of the park, as per the proposal. The height should not be more than 15 metres, the press release stated.