Suman K. Shrivastava
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 5: Following vociferous protests by Jains across the country, the Federal Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change announced on Thursday that all tourism and ecotourism-related activities in the Palasnath hills, where the Samed Shikarji pilgrimage center is located has been put on hold.
At a press conference, the ministry said it had suspended Article 3 of the Eco-Sensitive Zone Notice for the Parasnas Wildlife Sanctuary.
All new ecotourism activities or expansion of existing tourism activities, according to the Official Gazette Notice
Within the Eco-Sensitive Zone shall comply with the Eco-Sensitive Zone Tourism Master Plan.
State Department of Environment and Forests. He also said that no new hotels or resorts will be allowed to be built within one kilometer of the boundary.
Conservation Areas or Environmental Sensitive Zone extents, whichever is closer.
After meeting with representatives of the Jain community, the ministry instructed the Jharkhand government to strictly enforce the relevant provisions of the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary’s management plan, specifically prohibiting damage to flora and fauna. Come with your pet animal. Play loud music or use speakers. desecrating sites or religious and cultural significance such as sacred monuments, lakes, rocks, caves, shrines; Sale of alcohol, narcotics and other intoxicants, including unauthorized camping and trekking on Parasnath Hill.
The Jharkhand government has also been instructed to strictly enforce the ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages and non-vegetarian food on the hills of Parasnath.
In particular, Prime Minister Hemant Soren today wrote to Central Forest and Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav in response to the Environmental Sensitive Zone Notification to allow ecotourism on Palasnath Hill.
The Ministry of the Environment, in its memorandum, stated that for effective monitoring of the provision of Eco-Sensitive Zone Notification under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, the Central Government should monitor under the following provisions: formed a committee. 5. of the said notification. In order to allow proper engagement and oversight by key stakeholders, the State Government has extended her two members from the Jain community and the local tribal community as permanent invitees to this Oversight Board. is instructed to have one member of her from.
Over the past few days, the ministry has received complaints from various organizations representing Jain Samaj regarding issues related to certain activities taking place at the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary that have negatively affected the sentiments of Jain Dharma devotees. He said he received some representations.
“The complaint refers to the erroneous implementation of the provision of notification of eco-sensitive zones in the Parasnath wildlife sanctuary by the government of Jharkhand. It was said that such negligence by the state authorities hurt their feelings. I have.”
Minister Bhupendra Yadav met with various representatives of the Jain community to discuss the whole problem and possible solutions. They noted that while Parasnath WL Sanctuary was established by the former state of Bihar in 1984 under the provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972, the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) was established by the Indian government in consultation with the state government. I was informed that I was notified by His 2019 Jharkhand under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
Eco-sensitive zones act as a kind of ‘shock absorber’ for protected areas by prohibiting, regulating and encouraging activities around them.
The ESZ Notice is not intended to promote uncontrolled tourism, nor is it intended to promote any kind of development activity within the boundaries of the Sanctuary. The ESZ declaration actually limits or regulates activities around the reserve and therefore outside its boundaries, Yadav said.
Yadav repeated Sammed Shikharji Parvat Kshetra. It is a Jain religious site that is sacred not only to the Jain community, but to the country as a whole, and the Ministry is committed to maintaining its sanctity.
