The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has finally issued a notification demarcating an area from 1 km to 2.035 km around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) on the Haryana side in Panchkula district for the purpose of preventing, controlling and abating environment pollution.

Key Points

• The ESZ in general extends up to 1 km from the boundary of the sanctuary on the Haryana side. It is further extended to 2 km in the reserved forest on the northern side.
• On the eastern side, the ESZ boundary is mostly 1 km, running along the boundary of the reserved forest. However, it is extended on the south-eastern side to make it co-terminus with the boundary of the reserved forest.
• The total area of the ESZ is 24.60 sq km.
• The ministry has turned down the proposal of the Haryana Government that area of 1 km around the sanctuary on its side be delineated as an ESZ.

About Sukhna LAke

The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, where the beautiful city of Chandigarh meets the untamed wilderness, spans a vast 2,600 hectares, standing as a defiant wall against the relentless march of urbanisation, offering a glimpse into the region's rich ecological treasures. 
Carved from the reserved forests of Chandigarh, this cherished sanctuary was born from a fervent desire to protect, propagate, and nurture the delicate balance of flora and fauna on this land.

About ESZ

Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas are areas in India notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. The basic aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.