Amendment final notification of the ESZ around Jaldapara National Park West Bengal

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-05072024-255226 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 2495] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2024/ASHADHA 14, 1946 [F. No. 25/175/2015-ESZ-RE] MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 5th July, 2024 S.O. 2630(E).—Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clauses (v) and (xiv) of sub-section (2) of section (3) 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 Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 2734(E), dated the 22nd August, 2017; 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. 2734(E), dated the 22nd August, 2017; 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 in the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 2734(E), dated the 22nd August, 2017, namely:- In the said notification, for paragraphs 5 and 6, the following paragraphs shall be substituted, namely: - "5. Monitoring Committee. - There shall be a committee to be known as Monitoring Committee constituted by the Central Government which shall comprise of the following persons, namely: - i. The Deputy Commissioner, Alipurduar - Chairman, exofficio; ii. A representative of a Non-governmental Organisation working in the field of Environment or Wildlife (including heritage conservation) to be nominated by the Government of West Bengal from time to time every three years - Member; iii. An expert in the area of ecology and environment to be nominated by the Government of West Bengal from time to time every three years - Member; iv. The Executive Engineer, West Bengal Pollution Control Board - Member, exofficio; v. The Divisional Forest Officer (Buxa Tiger Reserve) - Member, exofficio; vi. The Divisional Forest Officer (Jaldapara) - Member, exofficio; vii. Member, State Biodiversity Board- Member, exofficio; viii. The Chief Conservator of Forests - Member Secretary, exofficio. 6. Functions of 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 Forest, 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 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 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 of the State in pro- forma specified in Annexure IV. (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. 25/175/2015-ESZ-RE] 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. 2734(E), dated the 22nd August, 2017. 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