183 TN villages part of eco-sensitive zone notified by union forest ministry

Development of hotels, resorts will be prohibited; public can submit objections in next 60 days

- S V KRISHNA CHAITANYA @Chennai

THE Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released the draft notification for the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Tamil Nadu. This notification proposes a protective zone covering 183 villages, including the highly-fragmented Valparai estates, across Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Dindigul districts. Spanning 767.57 sq km, the ESZ extends from zero to 10 kilometres around the reserve's boundaries.

The ATR, part of the Western Ghats, spans 1,479.87 sq km, including a core area of 958.59 sq km critical for tiger conservation and a 521.28 sq km buffer zone. The ESZ area will provide an extra layer of protection, which would help protect perennial rivers that originate in Anamalai hills, as it will prohibit/regulate harmful, polluting and water-guzzling industries. These rivers are the primary source for the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) that irrigates drought-prone areas in Coimbatore and Erode districts.