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- After several months of being in the offing, the Centre has recommended final notification for the delineated eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) around the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS).
- The decision was taken during the Union environment ministry’s ESZ Expert Committee meeting
- An ESZ is a buffer area created around a wildlife sanctuary or national park to reduce developmental pressures.
Key propositions of the Amendment
- The draft notification for the declaration of ESZ around Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary was first notified on November 6, 2019
- But was subsequently re-notified on April 30 this year after the Maharashtra government revised its proposal to increase the area earmarked for protection by the forest department.
- It was initially proposed to include 34.06 sq km of adjacent land within the ESZ, but the state government in March this year wrote to the Centre proposing to include an additional 14 sq km of land therein.
- The proposal also increased the maximum width of the originally proposed buffer area to a maximum of 3.98km, as compared to 3.5km earlier.
- At its southernmost point near Vashi bridge, the width of ESZ is 0km, while at its northernmost point at Thane-Kalwa bridge, the width is 2km
The Creek Flamingo Sanctuary
- Zero extent at few stretches of the eco-sensitive zone for Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary is due to its location being at the intersection of the highly urbanized areas of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and being close to another major city viz. Thane
- TCFS is home to 12 true mangrove species, 39 mangrove associates, 167 species of birds including flamingos, 45 fish species, 59 species of butterflies, 67 insect species, among other mammals such as jackals. In May 2018, the state had declared it a flamingo sanctuary.
- It is the second marine sanctuary of Maharashtra after Malvan sanctuary,and lies along the western bank of the Thane Creek.
- It is recognized as an “Important Bird Area”by the Bombay Natural History Society.
Thane Creek
- It is an inlet in the shoreline of the Arabian Seathat isolates the city of Mumbai from the Indian mainland.
- The creek is divided into two parts:the Ghodbunder-Thane stretch and the Thane -Trombay (Uran) stretch.
- The creek has beenformed due to seismic faults lying below it which runs from Uran to Thane.
Eco-Sensitive Zones
- They are economically fragile areas in a radius of ten kilometres around the national parks, protected areas and wildlife sanctuaries.
- They are notified under Environment Protection Act, 1986. However, the act does not mention the word Eco-Sensitive Zones.
Significance:
- To minimise the impact of urbanisation and other developmental activities, areas adjacent to protected areas have been declared as Eco-Sensitive Zones as it acts as a shock absorber.
- They alsoact as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
- ESZs help in in-situ conservation,which deals with conservation of an endangered species in its natural habitat, for example the conservation of the One-horned Rhino of Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
- ESZs minimise forest depletion and man-animal conflict.
Coastal Regulation zone
- They are those areas that are influenced by tides. According to Coastal Regulation Zone rules, 1991, 500 metres of land between high tide line and low tide line is declared as Coastal Regulation Zone.
Reserve Forest
- The Reserve Forest are restricted forest that are constituted by the State Government. The local people are prohibited in the reserved forest.
- The other types are protected forests and village forests.
Q.Consider the following statements about Creek Flamingo:
- 1.It is the second marine sanctuary of Maharashtra after Malvan sanctuary, and lies along the western bank of the Thane Creek.
- 2.The creek has been formed due to seismic faults lying below it which runs from Uran to Thane.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Both 1 and 2 are correct
(b) 1 Only
(c) 2 only
(d) Both 1 and 2 are incorrect
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