Center Government declared eco-sensitive zone one kilometer from the boundaries of Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary

Dharamsala, December 29, 2023: Fisheries Department Chairman Nardev Kanwar has thanked Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu for currently banning the proposed eco-sensitive zone around Pong Dam in Kangra.

In a press release, Kanwar said that the Chief Minister had made it clear during the winter session of the Assembly in Dharamshala that he would talk to the Union Environment Minister on this issue so that the local people are not affected. As soon as the session ended, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu had discussed with the Central Government on the issue of the Eco Sensitive Zone and requested to postpone it for the time being, which has been accepted by the Union Environment Minister. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has recently issued a draft notification declaring an area of one kilometre from the boundaries of Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh as an eco-sensitive zone.

Earlier the draft notification regarding the Pong Dam sanctuary with a proposed area between 1.5 km to 50 km was issued on April 22, 2022, and no objection was raised by any person. However, a meeting has been scheduled by the Government of India on December 27 on the Eco Sensitive Zone of Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary. Only after this meeting will the final.

MLA Hoshiyar Singh raised the issue in HP vidhan sabha that the Central Government has put the 116 square km area of Pong Dam in the eco sensitive zone. He said that no local person’s opinion was taken in this regard. After which the local people are not able to do farming in the area. Chief minister (CM) Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu assured Hoshiyar Singh that  the state government will try to reduce the area of the Pong Dam eco sensitive zone so that the local people get relief and are able to do farming in the area during the period when the water level of the dam decreases.