New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) The Union Environment Ministry on Friday wrote to the Jharkhand government, asking it to consider on priority the representations received from the Jain community for amending the notification of the eco-sensitive zone around the Parasnath Sanctuary to exclude eco-tourism activities.

Sammed Shikharji, located on the Parasnath Hills in Giridih district of Jharkhand, is the biggest pilgrimage of the Jain community. Members of the community have been protesting against the state government's move to promote religious tourism at Parasnath Hills.

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In August 2019, the Environment Ministry had notified an eco-sensitive zone around the Parasnath Sanctuary and approved eco-tourism activities in pursuance of the proposal submitted by the state government.

In a letter to Jharkhand's Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, Director General of Forests CP Goyal on Friday said the ministry has been receiving several representations from the Jain community and others, mentioning that the Parasnath Sanctuary is the sanctum-sanctorum of the Jain spirituality and that certain developmental activities included in the said ESZ notification, including those related to ecotourism activities, have hurt their sentiments.

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Goyal said the representations urged this ministry to re-visit the ESZ notification around the Parasnath Sanctuary to exclude such activities.

He said the ministry had forwarded a copy of the representations to the Jharkhand government.

Jharkhand vide its communication dated December 12 has expressed its commitment to protect the sanctity of the shrine but has not mentioned anything about the actions proposed to do so, Goyal said.

"Jharkhand may consider the representations on priority, give the said notification a re-look and recommend necessary modifications for further needful action at this end," the letter read.

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