Context:

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union Environment Ministry to declare 10 km area around 21 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country as ‘eco-sensitive zones’.

Details:

• The Supreme Court bench took the initiative after its amicus curiae (advisor) informed the court that the State governments have taken no effort to protect the area around these sanctuaries and parks. The court ordered the Centre to make the declaration “at the earliest”. Any plea for modification by the States concerned should be made to the Environment Ministry in two weeks.

Related 21 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries:

NATIONAL PARK/WILDLIFE SANCTUARY	PLACE
Pobitora sanctuary	Assam
Hemis High Altitude and Kishtewar national parks,	Jammu and Kashmir
Changthang, Hokersar, Trikuta sanctuaries
Jogimatti, Thimlapura and Yadahalli Chinkara sanctuaries	Karnataka
Deolgaon Rehekuri and Thane Creek Flamingo sanctuaries and the Malvan marine sanctuary	Maharastra
Siroi National Park and Khongjaingamba Ching sanctuary	Manipur
Fakim and Puliebadze and Rangapahar sanctuaries	Nagaland
Jorepokhri sanctuary	West Bengal
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar bird sanctuary and Pilibhit sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh
Baghmara Pitcher Plant sanctuary	Meghalaya