In a significant move to conserve the fragile ecology around High Altitude National Park Kishtwar, top district authorities on Monday set the ball rolling for a comprehensive Zonal Master Plan to regulate developmental activities in the park's Eco-Sensitive Zone. The maiden meeting of the District Level Committee was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Devansh Yadav.
The meeting was attended by officials from key government departments like, Revenue, Agriculture, Pollution Control, Jal Shakti Department, Forest Department. Chander Shekhar, Wildlife Warden and Project Coordinator for the National park, delivered a detailed presentation explaining the 547.09 sq km Eco-Sensitive Zone notified by the Environment Ministry in October 2021.
As per the notification, certain activities promoting sustainable development are permitted within this buffer zone while others potentially harmful to the environment are prohibited or regulated. "The zonal master plan will essentially lay down a blueprint for the next decade to ensure judicious use of natural resources and sustainable development in the region without compromising on environmental integrity," Shekhar told the committee.
Dr. Devansh Yadav instructed all departments to share the Eco-Sensitive Zone's notified areas, villages and territorials so that sector-specific plans can be prepared in synchronisation with the regulations. "It is imperative that all the stakeholders adopt an integrated approach giving equal weightage to development and conservation," the DC said.
A batch of 13 students from Government Degree College Kishtwar also participated in the meeting as part of an outreach to raise awareness about environmental protection and sustainable development among the youth. Nestled in the Himalayas, the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park is a biodiversity hotspot, home to several endangered species.
Experts and green activists have long advocated for a statutory zonal master plan binding on all stakeholders to conserve this ecological haven. Today's meeting marks the first significant step in that direction by the local administration.