Govt received 201 proposals for Rly, highway projects in ESZs, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Union Environment Ministry received 201 proposals for infrastructure projects in eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) between 2023 and 2025.
• These projects include highways, railways, and other infrastructure developments near wildlife corridors, national parks, and tiger reserves.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that the ministry monitors mitigation measures and wildlife management plans for these projects.
• 44 elephants have died due to train collisions during the same period.

Detailed Insights:

• The proposals include projects impacting areas designated as eco-sensitive zones, crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance.
• The ministry has identified 110 sensitive railway stretches in elephant ranges, suggesting mitigation measures like overpasses and underpasses.
• Approvals for these projects are granted with consideration for both economic development and environmental protection.
• The number of proposals received were 83 in 2023, 61 in 2024, and 57 in 2025, indicating a fluctuating trend in infrastructure development requests near sensitive areas.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs): Areas around protected areas designated to minimize the impact of development activities.
• Wildlife Corridors: Strips of habitat connecting fragmented populations of wildlife, essential for genetic exchange and migration.
• Mitigation Measures: Actions taken to reduce or eliminate the negative impacts of a project on the environment.