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Core Purpose

Notification amending the notification declaring the Eco-Sensitive Zone around the Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra, to reconstitute the district-level Monitoring Committees and revise their functions.

Detailed Summary

Issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as S.O. 4331(E) dated 3rd October 2024, this notification amends, under sub-section (1), clauses (v) and (xiv) of sub-section (2), and sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (4) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the earlier notification S.O. 654(E) dated 11th February 2020 that had declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone around the Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra; citing the public interest, the Central Government dispensed with the prior-notice requirement under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 and substituted paragraphs 5 and 6 of the said notification, reconstituting a Monitoring Committee for Solapur District (chaired by the District Collector, Solapur, with the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Solapur Forest Division as Member Secretary) and a separate Monitoring Committee for Ahmednagar District (chaired by the District Collector, Ahmednagar, with the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ahmednagar as Member Secretary), each also including representatives of the Zilla Parishad, an NGO nominee, an ecology/environment expert, a State-nominated biodiversity expert, a Regional Officer of the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board, a representative of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Pune, and a Town Planning Officer; the revised paragraph 6 assigns these Committees the function of scrutinising activities under the Schedule to notification S.O. 1533(E) dated 14th September 2006 within the Eco-Sensitive Zone and referring them for environmental clearance, empowers the Member-Secretary, Collector, or Deputy Conservator of Forests to file complaints under section 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and requires an annual action-taken report by 30th June to the Chief Wildlife Warden. The order was issued under F. No. 25/38/2018-ESZ and signed by Dr. S. Kerketta, Scientist "G".

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-04102024-257701 EXTRAORDINARY PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 3972] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2024/ASVINA 11, 1946 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 3rd October, 2024 S.O. 4331(E).—WHEREAS, the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clauses (v) and (xiv) of sub-section (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, issued a notification to declare an Eco-Sensitive Zone around the Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub- section (ii), vide number S.O. 654 (E), dated the 11th February, 2020; AND WHEREAS, the Central Government is of the opinion that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest to amend the said notification; AND WHEREAS, sub-rule (4) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 provides that whenever it appears to the Central Government that it is in the public interest to do so, it may dispense with the requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986; AND WHEREAS, the Central Government is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to dispense with the requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 for amending the notification number S.O. 654 (E), dated the 11th February, 2020; Now, Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clauses (v) and (xiv) of sub-section (2) and sub-section(3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (4) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government hereby makes the following amendments in the notification of the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 654 (E), dated the 11th February, 2020, namely:- In the said notification, for paragraphs 5 and 6, the following paragraph shall be respectively substituted, namely: - "5. Monitoring Committee. – (1) The Central Government hereby constitutes the following Monitoring Committees, namely:- Monitoring Committee for Solapur District shall consist of the following persons, namely:- (i) District Collector, Solapur District Chairman, ex officio; (ii) A representative of Zilla Parishad, Solapur Member, ex officio; (iii) One representative of non-governmental organisation working in the field of wildlife conservation to be nominated by the State Government of Maharashtra from time to time every three years. Member (iv) One expert in the area of ecology and environment from reputed university or Institute to be nominated by the Government of Maharashtra from time to time every three years. Member (v) An expert in biodiversity nominated by the State Government from Member, ex officio; time to time every three years. (vi) Regional Officer, Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board, Member, ex officio; Solapur (vii) A representative of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Member, ex officio; Pune (viii) Town Planning Officer, Solapur Member, ex officio; (ix) Deputy Conservator of Forests, Solapur Forest Division Solapur Member Secretary, ex officio. (b) Monitoring Committee for Ahemadnagar District shall consist of the following persons, namely:- (i) District Collector, Ahemadnagar District Chairman, ex officio; (ii) A representative of Zilla Parishad, Ahemadnagar Member, ex officio; (iii) One representative of non-governmental organisation working in the field of wildlife conservation to be nominated by the State Government of Maharashtra from time to time every three years. Member (iv) One expert in the area of ecology and environment from reputed university or Institute to be nominated by the Government of Maharashtra from time to time every three years. Member (v) An expert in biodiversity nominated by the State Government from Member, ex officio; time to time every three years. (vi) Regional Officer, Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board, Member, ex officio; Ahemadnagar (vii) Town Planning Officer, Ahemadnagar Member, ex officio; (viii) A representative of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Member, ex officio; Pune (ix) Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ahemadnagar Member Secretary, ex officio. 6. Functions of the Monitoring Committee. –(1) The Monitoring Committee shall, based on the actual site-specific conditions, scrutinise the activities covered in the Schedule to the notification of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Environment and Forests vide number S.O. 1533 (E), dated the 14th September, 2006, and are falling in the Eco-sensitive Zone, except for the prohibited activities as specified in the Table under paragraph 4 thereof, and referred to the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change or the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, as the case may be, for prior environmental clearances under the provisions of the said notification. (2) The activities not covered in the Schedule to the notification referred to in sub-paragraph (1) and falling in the Eco-sensitive Zone, except for the prohibited activities as specified in the Table under paragraph 4 thereof, shall be scrutinised by the Monitoring Committee based on the actual site-specific conditions and referred to the concerned regulatory authorities. (3) The Member-Secretary of the Monitoring Committee or the concerned Collector or the concerned Deputy Conservator of Forests shall be competent to file complaint under section 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 against any person who contravenes the provisions of this notification. (4) The Monitoring Committee may invite representative or expert from concerned Department, representative from industry associations or concerned stakeholders to assist in its deliberations depending on the requirements on case to case basis. (5) The Monitoring Committee shall submit the annual action taken report of its activities for the period up to the 31st March of every year by the 30th June of that year to the Chief Wildlife Warden in the State in pro-forma specified in Annexure-V. (6) The Central Government may give such directions in writing, as it deems fit, to the Monitoring Committee for effective discharge of its functions." [F.No.25/38/2018-ESZ] Dr. S. KERKETTA, Scientist "G" Note:- The principal notification was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide notification number S.O. 654(E), dated the 11th February, 2020. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. AMIT KUMAR JAISWAL Digitally signed by AMIT KUMAR JAISWAL Date: 2024.10.04 18:49:10 +05'30'

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