Reimposition of Protected Area Regime | 19 Dec 2024

Source: TH 

Why in News?

The Union Home Ministry has reimposed the Protected Area Regime (PAR) in Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland due to rising security concerns over foreign influx from neighboring countries.

  • The decision highlights the government's renewed focus on monitoring foreign movements and addressing security issues in these sensitive regions. 

What is the Protected Area Regime? 

  • About: The PAR is a set of regulations established under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, which is aimed at regulating foreign visitors to areas that are considered strategically important or vulnerable to external threats, particularly in the northeastern states and other border regions of India. 
  • Key Features of the PAR:  
    • Restricted Access: Foreigners are not allowed to visit areas under the PAR without prior government approval.  
      • To enter these areas, they must apply for and obtain a Protected Area Permit (PAP), which allows authorities to monitor the movement of foreign nationals in sensitive regions. 
      • The areas covered by the PAR are deemed sensitive due to their proximity to international borders or because of ethnic tensions, insurgency, or political instability.  
    • Relaxations and Reimposition: In the past, there have been temporary relaxations to encourage tourism in some regions, like in Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, where the PAR was relaxed in 2010 for promoting tourism.  
      • However, such relaxations were reversed when security concerns arose, as seen with the recent reimposition of the PAR in these states. 

Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 

  • The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, issued under the Foreigners Act, 1946, is a key regulatory framework designed to control the movement of foreigners in sensitive regions of India.  
  • It defines the ‘Inner Line’, a boundary from Jammu and Kashmir to Mizoram, beyond which foreign travelers are required to obtain a special permit.  
    • The regions located between the Inner Line and the International Border of a state are known as Protected Areas.  
      • Foreigners can enter these areas only with a PAP. Examples of Protected Areas include the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim (which is partly in Protected Areas and partly in Restricted Areas).  
        • Additionally, parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand are designated as Protected Areas. 
    • The areas that lie between the Inner Line and the territories occupied by indigenous tribes are known as Restricted Areas. Entry into these regions is prohibited without prior permission (Restricted Area Permit ). 
      • Examples of Restricted Areas include the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory and a part of the state of Sikkim.