New Delhi: A Standing Committee on wildlife under the Union government has rejected 19 proposals of Uttarakhand government, wherein it had sought permission for mining activities in the eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) of Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Benog Wildlife Sanctuary, reported The Tribune.The proposals pertained to mining in areas classified as default ESZs – zones where such activities are prohibited – and needed go ahead from Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL).In the absence of formally notified ESZs, a 10-km buffer around protected areas is treated as the default ESZ, where development activities remain regulated.The Tribune report added that according to the minutes of the meeting, the Committee flagged the fact that the state government has failed to submit key assessments, including studies on the vulnerability of river stretches to natural hazards along with the impact of mining on ecological stability.Another factor cited by the Committee for rejecting the proposals was the non-finalisation of ESZs for both Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Benog Wildlife Sanctuary.Earlier, the Supreme Court had issued a directive in November 2025 wherein it had made it mandatory that ESZs around tiger reserves – including buffer and fringe areas – must be notified within a year.“After detailed deliberation, SC-NBWL did not recommend the mining proposals falling in the default ESZ of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Benog Wildlife Sanctuary. The state government was further directed to comply with the court’s directions and issue the draft ESZ notification,” stated the minutes of the meeting, reported The Tribune.