The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has denied that there are plans to reduce the existing 5-km boundary of the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary following activists raising concerns about the proposed rationalisation of the boundary.
In a statement, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Chief Wildlife Warden said that in accordance with the Ministry of Environment and Forests guidelines, it has been proposed to demarcate the area around the sanctuary into a core zone, buffer zone and an eco-sensitive zone.
While the first kilometre will be the core zone, the next two kilometres of the Vedanthangal sanctuary has been identified as a buffer zone and the outer two kilometres will be the eco-sensitive zone.
“The 5-km buffer zone will continue to remain an administrative zone of the sanctuary without any reductions. The Central government has asked for all sanctuaries to demarcate the area into these zones and we have done the same in the existing 5km,” the chief wildlife warden said.
Within the 5-km boundary, there are around 28 villages and revenue lands where a population of 60,000 people were living. "There are no forests or lands belonging to the forest department in this area. In 1998, when the 5-km boundary was defined, people who lived there were carrying out agriculture as well as other small livelihood activities," the statement said.
Stating that the forest department's focus through this demarcation was to ensure better conservation and sanctuary management, the department denied that this was being done to aid in setting up or expansion of any large scale commercial activities.
“With this demarcation, we will be able to implement strong laws such as the Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act and Environment Protection Act so that it won't affect agriculture and all other livelihood-related activities by the people there. The demarcation will only ensure better protection of the sanctuary,” he said. The Wildlife Institute of India was providing guidance with regard to the Vedanthangal Sanctuary, he added.
