In a significant move for environmental governance, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) has prepared and submitted a draft map marking the Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) for the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district. This action represents a pivotal step toward complying with a Supreme Court mandate requiring buffer zones around all protected areas across India.
A Supreme Court Mandate Drives Action
The push for demarcating these zones gained urgency after the Supreme Court intervened. The court noted that several states had repeatedly missed deadlines for establishing ESZs. It subsequently issued a firm directive: every protected area must have a clearly defined Ecologically Sensitive Zone. This zone is intended to regulate industrial and developmental activities that could harm fragile ecosystems.
The court's order carries a significant default clause: if a state fails to demarcate an ESZ, an automatic 10-kilometer buffer is imposed. This blanket restriction prohibits any human activity that might impact the local ecology. However, officials have pointed out that such a one-size-fits-all rule is often impractical, especially in landscapes like Pulicat where human settlements and economic activities are deeply intertwined with the environment.
Pulicat's Unique Socio-Ecological Challenge
The task for the NCSCM scientists was particularly complex due to Pulicat's unique context. The sanctuary encompasses India's second-largest brackish water lagoon, a vital wetland ecosystem. Its periphery is dotted with more than 40 fishing hamlets, where communities have depended for generations on a mix of fishing and agriculture. Farmlands lie close to the sanctuary boundary, meaning any rigid zoning could severely disrupt local livelihoods.
Recognizing this, the NCSCM adopted a nuanced approach. The core principle guiding their work was to balance essential ecological protection with the rights and needs of the resident communities. The draft ESZ map was prepared by carefully factoring in these ground realities to ensure that traditional livelihood practices are not unnecessarily hindered.
Data and Deliberation: A Six-Month Process
The process of creating a scientifically sound boundary gained momentum earlier this year after the Tamil Nadu state government provided the NCSCM with the necessary data. Given the complexity of Pulicat's coastal and wetland ecosystems, coupled with the dense human footprint surrounding it, it took over six months to prepare the draft ESZ proposal.
The draft map has now been forwarded by the state government to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for final approval. A senior wildlife official confirmed that this scientific demarcation is intended to prevent the kind of major social and economic disruptions that could arise from enforcing impractical, blanket restrictions in an already populated landscape.
This development for the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary marks a critical attempt to navigate the often-competing demands of conservation and community welfare, setting a precedent for how India's protected areas can be managed in a more inclusive and sustainable manner.
