The Himachal Pradesh High Court quashed a January 13, 2022 notification declaring parts of three grama panchayats near Col Sher Jung National Park as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The affected panchayats are Bhatanwali, Patalia, and Behral in Sirmaur district. The decision was made by a Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma. The court allowed a petition filed by the panchayats citing procedural lapses and lack of stakeholder consultation.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ)
Eco-Sensitive Zones are areas notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 to regulate activities around protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The purpose of ESZs is to act as buffer zones to minimise negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issues guidelines for declaring ESZs, which include mandatory procedures for public consultation and stakeholder involvement.
Col Sher Jung National Park
Col Sher Jung National Park, also known as Simbalbara National Park, is located in the Paonta Sahib subdivision of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. The park is ecologically significant as it forms part of a larger landscape connected with Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand and Kalesar National Park in Haryana. It serves as a wildlife corridor facilitating the movement of Asiatic elephants between these regions. In February 2023, a tiger was recorded in the park for the first time through camera trapping.
Legal and Procedural Issues in ESZ Notification
The court noted that the ESZ declaration process began in 2012 but suffered from irregularities. Initial consultations with local representatives occurred in 2012, but no further action followed for several years. A draft notification issued in 2015 lapsed due to the state government’s failure to provide necessary information and revised proposals on time. A fresh draft was issued in December 2020, followed by the final notification in January 2022. The court ruled that the mandatory procedures prescribed in the ESZ guidelines were not followed, leading to the quashing of the notification.
Last Modified: April 21, 2026