Centre declares National Chambal Sanctuary in MP as eco-sensitive zone

News: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has declared the National Chambal Sanctuary as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). It has also directed the Madhya Pradesh government to prepare a Zonal Master Plan to provide for conservation and management of the ecology and environment.

Facts:

National Chambal Sanctuary

• It is located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It spreads across Sheopur, Morena and Bhind districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is home to Gharial (critically endangered), Gangetic river dolphin (Endangered) and red crowned roofed turtle (critically endangered)

Eco-sensitive zone:

• It is an area notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. 
• Notifications declaring areas as ESZ are issued under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. 
• The main aim behind ESZs is to regulate certain activities so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem surrounding the protected areas.