The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has recently declared a 1km area around the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in Gurugram and Faridabad as an Eco-sensitive zone. A host of activities, including commercial mining, establishing industries, and setting up major hydro-electric projects will now be prohibited within this zone. The move is aimed at conserving and preserving the sanctuary’s rich biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of its ecosystems.
Asola Wildlife Sanctuary: An Eco-Sensitive Zone
Why tag the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary as an Eco-sensitive zone? This sanctuary boasts of diverse floral and faunal attributes. It houses a wide variety of trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses, making it a significant repository of botanical richness. In addition to this, the sanctuary is home to a large number of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and dragonflies.
Bird lovers will also find this sanctuary a paradise as it provides shelter to roughly 200 species of resident and migratory birds. More importantly, the wildlife habitats nestled within the sanctuary serve as crucial water recharge zones for Delhi, Faridabad, and Gurugram.
Regulations Imposed in the Eco-Sensitive Zone
Stricter regulations have been imposed to manage activities within the designated eco-sensitive zone. For instance, hotels and resorts are now disallowed from setting up within 1 km of the sanctuary’s boundary. Construction activities are also carefully monitored. Only small, temporary structures intended for eco-tourism activities are allowed. Non-polluting industries can operate but on a small scale. Felling of trees and other civic infrastructure developments must also adhere to prescribed restrictions.
| Activity Type | Status |
|---|---|
| Commercial Mining | Banned |
| Stone Quarrying | Banned |
| Polluting Industries | Banned |
| Saw Mills | Banned |
| Brick Kilns | Banned |
| Rain Water Harvesting | Allowed |
| Organic Farming | Allowed |
| Cottage Industries | Allowed |
| Agroforestry | Allowed |
Features of the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Spread over an area of 32.7 square kilometers, the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is located at the end of an important wildlife corridor. This corridor originates from the Sariska National Park in Alwar, Rajasthan, and traverses through the Mewat, Faridabad, and Gurugram districts of Haryana, thereby forming a vital connectivity chain for wildlife in this region.
The declaration of the area around Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary as an Eco-sensitive zone by the MoEF underscores the need for preserving natural habitats and biodiversity. It also highlights the importance of adapting sustainable practices that are in harmony with the environment and biodiversity conservation.