Dehradun, 9 Nov: The Uttarakhand Forest Department’s proposal concerning some relaxations in the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) has run into a fresh hurdle. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has directed the Uttarakhand Government to revisit and revise its submission. The Centre has raised certain pertinent objections, stating that the proposal sent by the state fails to incorporate the recommendations made by key central institutions.
In a letter addressed to the state’s Principal Secretary (Forests), the Wildlife Division of the Union Ministry has observed that the proposal is inconsistent with the observations made by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and therefore it cannot be approved in its current form. The state government has been instructed to reconsider the proposal and submit a revised version in line with the suggestions made by these national authorities.
According to official sources, the Uttarakhand Government’s proposal had set the ESZ at more than one kilometre away in several locations within the Corbett Tiger Reserve while providing substantial relaxation in others. The state’s Forest Department had sought to exclude certain rural and residential areas adjacent to the Corbett Tiger Reserve from the ESZ, citing the need to ease restrictions in respect of the local communities living in proximity to the protected forest area.
The State’s move to extend relief to rural areas prompted the Centre to seek a comprehensive review. The Ministry noted that the state government’s communication dated 23 September 2025 had complied with some of the recommendations but ignored the NTCA’s suggestion to revise the ESZ boundaries in specific zones. Following a review of the proposal by the NTCA and the WII, the Ministry shared their feedback with the state, but the final proposal did not reflect the required modifications.
The Centre has reiterated that Eco-Sensitive Zones serve as crucial buffer areas, mitigating the adverse impact of human activity on ecologically fragile landscapes. The letter further stated that wherever the ESZ limit has been marked as zero or less than one kilometre, the state must submit fresh justifications, supported by detailed maps and explanatory documents.
The letter, issued by Ministry Scientist Dr Sudhir Chintlapati, also underlines that the proposal would be processed only after a rational and comprehensive revision. Corbett Tiger Reserve officials have confirmed that the Centre has sought clarifications on several points and that a detailed response, along with the state’s justification for its earlier proposal, will soon be sent to the Ministry for further consideration.
