Full Text
REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
The Gazette of India
CG-DL-E-14012025-260219
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (ii)
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 237]
NEW DELHI, MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2025/PAUSHA 23, 1946
344 GI/2025
(1)
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 13th January, 2025
S.O. 239(E).-WHEREAS, the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by 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 (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, issued a notification to declare
an Eco-Sensitive Zone around Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II,
Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 2166(E), dated the 27th August, 2014;
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. 2166(E), dated the 27th August, 2014;
NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by 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 Central Government hereby makes the following further
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), number S.O. 2166(E), dated the
27th August, 2014, namely:-
In the said notification, for paragraph 5, the following paragraphs shall be substituted, namely:-
"5. Monitoring Committee. - (1) The Central Government hereby constitutes a committee for effective
monitoring of the Provisions of this notification consisting of the following persons, namely:-
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| | | |
+=====+======================================================================================================================+==========================+
| (i) | Chief Secretary, Government of Sikkim | Chairman, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (ii)| Chief Wild Life Warden, Government of Sikkim | Member, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (iii)| Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Government of Sikkim | Member, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (iv)| Representative of State Pollution Control Board | Member, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (v) | One expert in ecology/environment/wildlife from Govind Ballabh | Member; |
| | Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Regional | |
| | Centre Sikkim shall be nominated by the Government of Sikkim | |
| | after every three years | |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (vi)| One representative of a Non-Governmental Organization working | Member; |
| | in the field of Environment/Wildlife (including heritage | |
| | conservation) shall be nominated by the Government of Sikkim | |
| | after every three years | |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (vii)| One Representative of Rural Management and Development | Member, ex officio; |
| | Department, Government of Sikkim | |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (viii)| One Representative of Agriculture Department, Government of | Member, ex officio; |
| | Sikkim | |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (ix)| One Representative of Urban Development and Housing | Member, ex officio; |
| | Department, Government of Sikkim | |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (x) | Concerned District Collector | Member, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (xi)| Divisional Forest Officer (In-charge of PA) | Member, ex officio; |
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| (xii)| Chief Conservator of Forest (Wild Life) | Member Secretary, ex officio.|
+-----+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
(2)
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 falling in the Eco-sensitive Zone, except for the prohibited activities 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
maybe, for prior environmental clearances under the provisions of that notification.
(3)
The activities not covered in the Schedule to the notification referred to in sub-paragraph (2) 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 regulatory authorities concerned.
(4)
The Member-Secretary of the Monitoring Committee or the concerned Collector or the 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.
(5)
The Monitoring Committee may invite a representative or expert from the Department, a
representative from industry associations or stakeholders to assist the committee in its deliberations
depending on the requirements on a case to case basis.
(6)
The Monitoring Committee shall submit the annual action taken report of its activities for the period
up to the 31st March of every year to the Chief Wildlife Warden in pro forma specified in
Annexure- III by the 30th June of that year.
(7)
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. 25/15/2013-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. 2166(E), dated the 27th August, 2014 and was last amended vide number
S.O. 4949(E), dated the 16th November, 2023.