Hospital, real estate projects likely to come up around Sultanpur National Park

Two private housing projects and a private medical college and hospital are likely to come up in the so-called eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram according to minutes of the latest meeting of the National Board for Wildlife.

The minutes dated April 12 published on union environment ministry’s Parivesh website on Tuesday state that the standing committee of NBWL has received a proposal for diverting 21.29 hectares from the eco-sensitive zone of Sultanpur National Park for the medical college, hospital and research centre.

The environment ministry , in January 2010, notified an area up to 5km from the boundary of the park to be ESZ of the Sultanpur National Park The notification added that around 30,000 birds belonging to 250 species have been listed in the park including Rosy Pelicans; all kinds of migartory ducks; Flamingos; Greylag and bar Headed Geese; Painted Black Necked and Open-bill Storks, and Sarus Cranes.

No polluting industries are allowed in the ESZ, no construction of any kind is allowed within 300 metres from the park boundary except tube wells; construction of any building s more than two stories (25 feet) is not allowed within 500 meters of the park boundary. Mining and stone crushing activities are also not allowed within 1km from the park boundary. There is also a zonal master plan for the management of the ESZ.

The proposal for the hospital was recommended by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana State Board for Wildlife and the Haryana government according to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana . R Sukumar, member of NBWL has pointed out the need for a foolproof plan for disposal of bio-medical waste. He said that bio-medical waste generated from the hospital should not flow into the sanctuary according to the minutes.

The standing committee of NBWL has decided to defer the decision until details regarding the disposal of bio-medical waste from the hospital are made available to the Standing Committee by Haryana government officials.

Pankaj Goel, chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests, Haryana said, “The project of a medical college cum hospital, is an expansion project for which the university concerned has applied for clearances. We are working to develop a plan with the help of technical experts for proper disposal of bio-medical waste. As far as construction work in an eco-sensitive zone is concerned, it will be done following all the rules and exemptions given for work that can be carried out in eco-sensitive zones.”

“The issue is not so much with what is allowed and not allowed in ESZ. These are big projects which will have a footprint. We have asked the hospital to come back with a biomedical waste disposal plan,” said a NBWL member who asked not to be named.

NBWL is a statutory body under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Several proposals seeking statutory approvals for such projects come up before the Standing Committee which meets once every few months to deliberate and grant or reject approvals.

There are two more real estate project proposals which were also deferred by the NBWL. One of them is an affordable group housing colony project at Dhorka village, Sector 95, Gurugram with a total area of 2.96 ha. Another is also a housing project in Dhorkha over 2.06 ha.

“If you allow two real estate projects, many more can also come up. Tomorrow warehouses will also apply for permission. Why should private projects be allowed to build in ESZ? They can utilise unutilised space in various sectors that are already earmarked. High-rises will definitely impact the flight pattern of birds. More importantly the groundwater level will be impacted. The lake in the Sultanpur National Park exists because of rainwater and a stable groundwater table. Its also important to note that real estate companies must have bought cheap land there. How will civic amenities be moved to this area which is mainly surrounded by agricultural land? Gurugram will soon be left with pockets of biodiversity and only concrete in the rest of the land. Sultanpur National Park is extremely important for NCR as a biodiversity reserve,” said Chetan Agarwal, Gurugram based environment analyst.

Vijay Dhasmana, an eco-restoration practitioner said, “Urbanisation will definitely impact movement of birds in the area. With more construction, the water flow to the Sultanpur catchment will get affected which will have an impact on the presence of birds in and around the sanctuary.”

The Sultanpur National Park, a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) supports hundreds of species of resident, winter migratory and local migratory waterbirds at critical stages of their life cycles. The site supports more than 10 globally threatened species, including the endangered Egyptian vulture, Steppe Eagle, Pallas’s fish eagle, and Black-bellied Terns.