🌿 Environment & Conservation Policy

🏔️ Eco-Sensitive Zone Declared Around Shikari Devi Sanctuary – Balancing Wildlife and Community Needs

The Government of India has officially notified Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around the Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, aiming to shield this biodiverse region from the pressures of urbanisation and development.
This initiative reinforces India’s commitment to wildlife conservation through sustainable development models.

📍 About Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary

• Established: 1962
• Area: 29.94 sq. km
• Location: Mid-Himalayan region, altitude 1,800–3,400 metres
• Cultural significance: Named after Goddess Shikari Devi, whose temple sits atop a ridge

A landscape where mythology meets ecology, the sanctuary shelters diverse flora, fauna, and forest types.

🛡️ What is an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)?

• A regulated buffer area around protected regions
• Seeks to limit harmful activities while permitting sustainable livelihoods
• Encourages a core-buffer model to:
  • Protect wildlife
  • Maintain ecological balance
  • Support nearby human settlements

🗺️ ESZ Around Shikari Devi:

• Includes 43 villages from Nachan and Karsog Forest Divisions

🚫 Key Restrictions Under ESZ Regulations

• ❌ Commercial mining
• ❌ Major hydropower projects
• ❌ Deforestation or land conversion
• ✅ Permitted:
  • Organic farming
  • Eco-tourism
  • Traditional livelihoods
• Governed by a Zonal Master Plan and multi-stakeholder oversight committee

🌲 Biodiversity Snapshot – Flora & Fauna

• Forest Types:
  • Alpine pastures
  • Moist temperate forests
  • Mixed coniferous stands
• Notable Species:
  • Snow Leopard (unconfirmed)
  • Himalayan Tahr
  • Monal Pheasant
  • Brown Bear

This sanctuary is a potential stronghold for high-altitude species requiring undisturbed habitats.

🔄 Management Strategy

• Core and buffer zone delineation for scientific management
• Oversight by a committee chaired by the Chief Conservator of Forests
• Goal: Balance ecological protection with community inclusion

🧍‍♂️ Impact on Local Communities

• Changes:
  • Restrictions on construction, grazing, and forest product collection
• Opportunities:
  • Training in eco-tourism
  • Support for organic farming
  • Forest-based employment schemes

Designed not just for conservation, but for community resilience.

🐾 Addressing Human–Wildlife Conflict

• One of the primary goals is to reduce conflict over space and resources
• Measures include:
  • Regulated grazing zones
  • Alternative income support
  • Enhanced monitoring against poaching

🕯️ When we draw boundaries for nature, we redraw futures for generations—wild and human alike.