Extent of Eco-sensitive Zone of the Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary

No: 1646 Dated: Jul, 01 2016

WHEREAS, a draft notification was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide notification of the Government of the India in the erstwhile Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change number S.O.1657 (E), dated 22nd June, 2015, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby within the period of sixty days from date on which copies of the Gazette containing the said notification were made available to the public; AND WHEREAS, no comments received on the draft notification by the central Government. AND WHEREAS, Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary having an area of 620.53 hectares is one of the important protected areas of the Patiala District and is situated 45 Kilometres from Patiala city and 15 Kilometres from PatialaSamana Road. The co-ordinates of Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife sanctuary is appended as Annexure-I. AND WHEREAS, the above said specified the protected area has good ecological value and the river Ghaggar passes through it. AND WHEREAS, the protected area, as per the forest classification of Champion and Seth, has the forests that fall under the sub-group 5(b) Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest Type and the main tree species are Shisham, Kikkar, Dhak, Beri, Jand, Simbal, Jamun, Neem, Toot, Arjun, Kareer, Kahi, Nara, Amb, Khajoor, Karonda, Bamboo, etc.,being relatively dominated by Eucalyptus trees; AND WHEREAS, the area is known to support a variety of animals and birds and the main faunal species are Porcupine, Wild Boar, Blue Bull, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Rhesus Monkey, Peafowl, Black and Grey Partridges, Parakeets and Doves etc; AND WHEREAS, it is necessary to conserve and protect the area, the extent and boundaries of which are specified in paragraph 1 of this notification around the protected area of the Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary as Ecosensitive Zone from ecological and environmental point of view and to prohibit industries or class of industries and their operations and processes in the said Eco-sensitive Zone; NOW THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), clause (v) and clause (xiv) of subsection (2) and sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government hereby notifies the area to an extent up to 100 metres all around the boundary of the Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary in the State of Punjab as an Eco-sensitive Zone (hereinafter referred to as the Eco-sensitive Zone), details of which are as under, namely:-