New Delhi, the 7th September, 2020
AND WHEREAS, copies of the Gazette containing the said draft notification were made available to the public on the 11th December, 2019;
AND WHEREAS, no objections and suggestions were received from persons and stakeholders in response to the draft notification;
AND WHEREAS, the Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary is located near Chunchanagiri Temple and Pilgrimage centre in Nagamangala Taluk of Mandya District. Adichunchanagiri is a typical inland South Indian Hill characterised by giant or heap upon by boulders of various sizes. There is a good population of pea fowls in Adichunchanagiri. The sanctuary has 07 villages around its boundary and surrounded by agricultural lands and coconut plantations owned by local farmers, cattle grazing on the fringes of the sanctuary are common. About 50,000 to 75,000 pilgrims are known to attend prayer meetings on festive occasions to the Adichunchanagiri Mutta;
AND WHEREAS, the Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary is small and has not much scope for tourism development. The Sanctuary is close to Bangalore-Mangalore National Highway No.48 and is adjacent to the famous Adichunchanagiri Temple and pilgrimage centre. As such, lot of devotees and pilgrims visit the area. The undulating terrain, rocky hillocks and wide variety of flora and fauna offer ample opportunity to nature lovers;
AND WHEREAS, Adichunchanagiri and the adjacent hills and hill ranges within a radius of 1 kilometer is the stronghold of the peafowl. Though the habitat on other hills namely Haddinakallubetta and those in Ramasagara State Forest and Madeshwara Hill appear to be conducive for the occurrence of peafowl, the species is not found there. This indicates that the peafowl at Adichunchanagiri in effect belongs to a population surviving mainly due to the excellent protection accorded by way of a strong religious sentiment maintained and preached by the Swamiji and his disciples;
AND WHEREAS, though very few mammal species are found in the Sanctuary, the sanctuary is rich in bird population. Out of the 99 recorded species of birds, 25 species are peculiar to the inland hills of Karnataka. About 15 resident water birds also have been recorded and rests of the birds are those that frequent in open scrub habitat which though disturbed is still in healthy state. The tanks of surrounding area can also be de-silted and suitable plants can be grown on artificial islands. 99 species of birds, 8 species of reptiles, 32 species of butterflies, 4 species of amphibians have been recorded in the Sanctuary;
AND WHEREAS, the major flora available in the Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary are sugar apple (Annona squamosa), Indian birthwort (Aristolochia indica), coat buttons (Tridax procumbens), agave (Agave sps.), crown flower (Calotropis gigantea), rubber bush (Calotropis procera), blue jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosefolia), yellow bells (Texoma stans), amaltas (Cassia fistula), kasood tree (Cassia siamea), flame tree (Delonix regia), ban tulsi (Croton bonplandianus), gung (Abrus precatorius), anjan (Hardwickia binata), tamarind (Tamarindus indica),neem (Azadirachta indica), Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis), babool (Acacia nilotica), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sps.), thumbai (Leucas aspera), etc;
AND WHEREAS, the major mammal species available in the Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary are bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), three-striped plam squirrel (Funambulus palmarum), pipistrelle (Pipistrellus coromandra), flying fox (Pteropus giganteus), jungle cat (Felis chaus), black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis),etc. While birds species recorded from Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary are little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), grey pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), grey pelican (Pelecanus philippensis ), cormorant (Phalacrocoracidae), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), pond heron (Ardeola), cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), egrets (unidentified) (Ardeidae), painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala), lesser whistling teal (Dendrocygnajavanica), honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), paraiah kite (Milvus migrans), brahminy kite (Haliastur Indus), shikara (Accipiter badius), blue rock pigeon (Columba livia),Indian ring dove (Streptopelia capicola), spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis), little brown dove (Spilopelia senegalensis), roseringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri),common hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius), koel (Eudynamys), small greenbilled malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis), sirkeer cuckoo (Phaenicophaeus diardi), crow-pheasant (Centropus sinensis), barn owl (Tyto alba), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), etc;
AND WHEREAS, the rare, threatened and endangered plant species found in Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary are queen sago (Cycas circinalis), sandalwood (Santalum album), silky dalbergia (Dalbergia sericea), Indian butter species (Madhuca sp.), etc; While rare, threatened and endangered fauna of the Sanctuary are blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), leopard (Panthera pardus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), pangolins (Manis crassicaudata), Grey pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), sirkeer cuckoo (Taccocua lescheaultii), yellow throated bulbul (Pycnonotus xantholaemus), Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala), etc;
AND WHEREAS, it is necessary to conserve and protect the area, the extent and boundaries of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary which are specified in paragraph 1 as Eco-sensitive Zone from ecological, environmental and biodiversity point of view and to prohibit industries or class of industries and their operations and processes in the said Eco-sensitive Zone;
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) (hereafter in this notification referred to as the Environment Act) read with sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government hereby notifies an area to an extent varying from 1 kilometre to 2.55 kilometres around the boundary of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary, in Mandya District in the State of Karnataka as the Eco-sensitive Zone (hereafter in this notification referred to as the Eco-sensitive Zone) details of which are as under, namely: –
1. Extent and boundaries of Eco-sensitive Zone. –
(1) The Eco-sensitive Zone shall be to an extent of 1 kilometre to 2.55 kilometres around the boundary of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary and the area of the Eco-sensitive Zone is 10.15 square kilometres.
(2) The boundary description of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary and its Eco-sensitive Zone is appended in Annexure-I.
(3) The maps of the Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary demarcating Eco-sensitive Zone along with boundary details and latitudes and longitudes are appended as Annexure-IIA, Annexure-IIB and Annexure-IIC.
(4) Lists of geo-coordinates of the boundary of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary and Eco-sensitive Zone are given in Table A and Table B of Annexure-III.
(5) The list of villages falling in the Eco-sensitive Zone along with their geo co-ordinates at prominent points is appended as Annexure-IV.
2. Zonal Master Plan for Eco-sensitive Zone.-(1) The State Government shall, for the purposes of the Eco- sensitive Zone prepare a Zonal Master Plan within a period of two years from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, in consultation with local people and adhering to the stipulations given in this notification for approval of the competent authority of State.
(2) The Zonal Master Plan for the Eco-sensitive Zone shall be prepared by the State Government in such manner as is specified in this notification and also in consonance with the relevant Central and State laws and the guidelines issued by the Central Government, if any.
(3) The Zonal Master Plan shall be prepared in consultation with the following Departments of the State Government, for integrating the ecological and environmental considerations into the said plan:-
- (i) Environment;
- (ii) Forest and Wildlife;
- (iii) Agriculture;
- (iv) Revenue;
- (v) Urban Development;
- (vi) Tourism;
- (vii) Rural Development;
- (viii Irrigation and Flood Control;
- (ix) Municipal;
- (x) Panchayati Raj; and
- (xi) Public Works Department.
(4) The Zonal Master Plan shall not impose any restriction on the approved existing land use, infrastructure and activities, unless so specified in this notification and the Zonal Master Plan shall factor in improvement of all infrastructure and activities to be more efficient and eco-friendly.
(5) The Zonal Master Plan shall provide for restoration of denuded areas, conservation of existing water bodies, management of catchment areas, watershed management, groundwater management, soil and moisture conservation, needs of local community and such other aspects of the ecology and environment that need attention.
(6) The Zonal Master Plan shall demarcate all the existing worshipping places, villages and urban settlements, types and kinds of forests, agricultural areas, fertile lands, green area, such as, parks and like places, horticultural areas, orchards, lakes and other water bodies with supporting maps giving details of existing and proposed land use features.
(7) The Zonal Master Plan shall regulate development in Eco-sensitive Zone and adhere to prohibited and regulated activities listed in the Table in paragraph 4 and also ensure and promote eco-friendly development for security of local communities’ livelihood.
(8) The Zonal Master Plan shall be co-terminus with the Regional Development Plan………………………………………………………………Read More.