Overview

• The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife has formally tasked the Environment Ministry with drafting a detailed proposal to amend eco-sensitive zone guidelines.
• Scheduled consultations will involve state wildlife wardens, NBWL members, the Wildlife Institute of India and multiple ministries.
• Officials are seeking to replace the default 10-kilometre buffer with flexible norms tailored to local ecological and socio-economic conditions.
• State wardens warn that rigid ESZ rules have hindered development in high-forest regions and delayed declarations of new protected areas.
• Final recommendations will be submitted back to the committee after inter-ministerial review and expert consultations.