Centre revises Monitoring Committee for Gaga Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary Eco-Sensitive Zone & its functions

April 04, 2025

New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has amended its 2017 notification concerning the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Gujarat’s Gaga Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary. The revised notification, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, modifies the composition and functions of the Monitoring Committee overseeing activities in the zone.

Monitoring Committee for the Gaga Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary Eco-Sensitive Zone

Sr. No. Designation Role
1 Collector, Devbhumi Dwarka District Chairman (Ex-officio)
2 Representative of the Department of Environment and Forests, Government of Gujarat Member (Ex-officio)
3 Regional Officer, State Pollution Control Board Member (Ex-officio)
4 Representative of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) working in Environment or Wildlife (including heritage conservation), nominated by the Gujarat Government every three years Member
5 Expert in Ecology, Ornithology, or Wildlife from a reputed institution or university, nominated by the Gujarat Government every three years Member
6 Senior Town Planner of the area Member (Ex-officio)
7 Member, State Biodiversity Board Member (Ex-officio)
8 Deputy Conservator of Forests, Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka Member Secretary (Ex-officio)

Earlier, the tenure of the Monitoring Committee was explicitly stated as three years. However, in the revised notification, the tenure is not mentioned, but members from NGOs and expert institutions will continue to be nominated every three years.

The new notification replaces Paragraph 6, titled “Terms of Reference”, with “Functions of the Monitoring Committee”.

As per the revised notification, the Monitoring Committee has been assigned key responsibilities to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. It will scrutinize activities within the Eco-Sensitive Zone, assess them based on site-specific conditions, and refer them to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change or the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for prior environmental clearance. Additionally, it will review non-scheduled activities within the zone and direct them to the appropriate regulatory authorities.

The Member-Secretary, Collector, or Deputy Conservator of Forests will have the authority to file complaints under Section 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, against any violations. The committee may invite experts or industry representatives as needed and must submit an annual action report to the Chief Wildlife Warden by June 30 each year. The Central Government retains the power to issue directives to the committee for the effective implementation of its functions. DeshGujarat

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