ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Gandhinagar, 1 October 2024
The new eco-sensitive zone has been reduced to an eco-sensitive zone area of 10 km. According to the notification, the minimum distance of the declared eco-sensitive zone area from the sanctuary is 2.78 km. and the maximum is 9.50 km. There are 650 lions here, most of which live outside the protected forests.
In 2016, a proposal was made to implement the eco-sensitive zone. In the year 2024, 40 percent of the eco-sensitive zone has decreased as compared to the year 2016. This will become a threat to lions and other wild animals.
A notification was issued to declare a total area of 1 lakh 84 thousand 466 hectares around the Gir protected area as ‘eco-sensitive zone’. Till now Gir is 10 km away from the boundary of the protected area. ‘Eco-Sensitive Zone’ This area includes 24 thousand hectares of forest area and 1 lakh 59 thousand hectares of non-forest area.
After the preliminary advertisement is published, now the final advertisement will be published.
The Eco-Sensitive Zone includes 196 villages of 3 districts Junagadh, Amreli and Gir Somnath as well as river corridors of 17 rivers and 4 important lion movement corridors around the Gir protected area.
There are 59 villages in Junagadh, Visavadar, Malia Hatina and Mendara talukas of Junagadh district. There are 72 villages in Dhari, Khambha and Savarkundla talukas of Amreli district. There are 65 villages in Una, Gir-Somnath, Kodinar and Talala talukas of Gir-Somnath district.
The 196 villages have 24 thousand 680 hectares of forest area and 1 lakh 59 thousand 786 hectares of non-forest area.
Gir National Park, Gir, Paniya and Mitiyala Sanctuaries for lions and wildlife in Gujarat are spread over 1468.16 sq km. The area has been reserved.
An initial notification of eco-sensitive areas was published by the Government of India.
The Forest and Environment Department took into account radio collar based details of the movements of lions for the last 10 years in the villages around the Gir protected area. The Gir protected area has been declared a new eco-sensitive zone, which includes areas such as lion kills, important movement corridors of lions and river corridors.
Mining leases and stone crushers are running.
Just 1 year ago, a case was filed in the National Green Tribunal regarding 76 illegal mines in eco-sensitive zone areas. In which the investigation was handed over to a committee of experts as per the order. The government has not disclosed anything about what it was supposed to do.
A PIL was filed in the Gujarat High Court by Rajkumar Sutaria in 2015 which was settled in 2020. The government had filed an affidavit. A bench comprising Justice R.M. Chhaya and Justice V.B. Mayani said that no one will be allowed to carry out mining operations in the eco-sensitive zone of Gir’s Pania Matiala Wildlife Sanctuary unless the mining lease of the unit is validly recognised by the Mines and Minerals Department. All time royalty paid to 67 mining quarries was suspended. No mining of any kind will be allowed in the area.
Wildlife Protection Act will have to be implemented. They were asked to close down after the completion of the mining lease.
In July 2023, a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking 3.32 lakh hectares of Gir eco-sensitive zone was filed by Biren Padhy, for which the HC ordered the government to submit a fresh proposal.
Acting Chief Justice of the High Court A.J. Desai and a bench comprising Justice Biren Vaishnav were hearing the Supreme Court’s Eco Sensitive Zone case filed by T.N. Based on the decision in the Godavarman case, the government was ordered to make a new proposal. The report was asked to be presented in the court on September 4.
The state government had earlier made a draft notification and announced that 3 lakh 32 thousand hectares of area in Gir National Park would be reserved for eco-sensitive zone. The draft was kept pending. Meanwhile, a new proposal was given to reduce the area of land to 1 lakh 17 thousand hectares.
For this reason, a bandh was announced in 125 villages including Dhari in front of the eco-sensitive zone.
2017 scam
The provisions of MOEF 2011 were also being violated. 10 km 3 lakh 32 thousand 881 hectares of land while this area was an eco-sensitive zone.
Suddenly 10 km. square meter area was reduced to 0.500 km. That is, it was reduced to 500 meters. Due to which only 1 lakh 14 thousand hectares of area remained. There were 250 ponds and 750 water sources for wild animals. It was reduced to 50 to 100. The order of the Supreme Court was violated by reducing the area. Therefore, the High Court stayed the state government’s decision on eco-sensitive areas.
Mines
If the new proposal was implemented in the Gir Eco-Sensitive Zone, there was a possibility of mines being dug there. There are 150 illegal mining mines in the Gir Somnath area. In 2022, six illegal mines operating in eco-sensitive areas were closed.
Deaths
In two years till February 2024, 239 lions were killed, including 126 cubs. In which 29 lions have died unnatural deaths. From July 2023 to January 2024, 7 lions died on the railway track. There is a good number of lions in Liliya, Savarkundla, Rajula and Pipavav areas. According to government data, around 100 lions live in this area and the railway line from Surendranagar to Pipavav is also in this area.
passes through. Barda There is a plan to relocate 40 lions to Barda sanctuary. Murder of Amit Jethwa A cement company in Kodinar taluka adjoining Gir forest has applied to Ghantvad Gram Panchayat for illegal mining of limestone. Ghantvad, Kansaria, Chidiwav villages raised objections. In the areas of 120 villages of Gir like Ghantvad, Kansaria, Nagdala, Jamwala, Harmadiya, Anilwad, Pichva, Pichvi, which are adjacent to Gir forest, abundant limestone treasure is buried in the ground. Right to Information Act activist Amit Jethwa objected to the illegal excavation of limestone by the quarry mafia here. An RTI activist ran a campaign to save the natural sanctum of Gir from being looted. In 2008, the government had to take action and in 2010 Amit Jethwa was murdered. BJP MP Dinu Bogha Solanki was involved in the murder. Today, limestone mines are being dug illegally by some BJP leaders in these villages.
Rupani’s Stem
On 20 February 2019, Dinu Bogha Solanki was given 3.2375 hectares (32,375 m) of land within 3 km in the eco-sensitive zone of Gir forest by Vijay Rupani for mining. Which is actually 10 km. It cannot be given in an area up to that. However, the Rupani government committed a big scam by giving land to Shiv Minerals for limestone mining in an area inhabited by lions and forest animals. Played with the lion by giving land in Ghantvad.
The Rupani government had also recommended the Narendra Modi government at the Center to approve the land.
Resort
There are about 80 resorts around Gir. Most of which belong to BJP leaders or their relatives. A former opposition leader from Congress is also building a resort.
Anar Patel scandal
Anar Patel also had a resort project here. Narendra Modi, Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani helped the then company associated with Anar Patel to get permission for a resort in Gir. Anar Patel, businessman, MD of Gujarat Tourism Corporation No action has been taken till date after the involvement of 7 officials came to light in the land scam. The value of this land was estimated to be Rs 900 crore, it was given for Rs 27 crore. Today the value of this land is around Rs 4000 crore. The Gujarat government had announced to investigate this, but no investigation was done. (Google translation from Gujarati) 
