- A Supreme Court Bench led by Justice Madan B. Lokur on December 11, 2018 directed the Union Ministry of Environment, forest and Climate Change to declare 10 km area around 21 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country as ‘eco-sensitive zones’.
- The Apex Court took the initiative after its amicus curiae informed the court that the State governments have hardly taken any effort to protect the area around these sanctuaries and parks.
- The parks and sanctuaries are the Pobitora sanctuary in Assam; Hemis and Kishtewar national parks, Changthang, Hokersar, Trikuta sanctuaries in Jammu and Kashmir; Jogimatti, Thimlapura and Yadahalli Chinkara sanctuaries in Karnataka; Deolgaon Rehekuri and Thane Creek Flamingo sanctuaries and the Malvan marine sanctuary in Maharashtra; Siroi National Park and Khongjaingamba Ching sanctuary in Manipur; Baghmara Pitcher Plant sanctuary in Meghalaya; Fakim and Puliebadze and Rangapahar sanctuaries in Nagaland; Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar bird sanctuary and Pilibhit sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and the Jorepokhri sanctuary in West Bengal.
