The Assam government has proposed to reduce the eco-sensitive zone around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve from 10 km to 1 km, following a modified Supreme Court order.
On Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that the decision to reduce the eco-sensitive zone was in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines. In June 2022, the court had ordered that eco-sensitive zones of at least 1 km should be declared around protected forests, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. However, in April 2023, the court modified the order, stating that uniformly applying the 1-km requirement was not feasible and it had to be 'protected area-specific'.
Sarma explained that if the state government maintained the 10 km limit around Kaziranga, several towns like Kaliabar, Doboka, Jakhalabandha, Bokakhat would not remain due to the park's large size. He also claimed that no wildlife sanctuary in the world has an eco-sensitive zone of 10 km surrounding it.
In its 2023 order, the Supreme Court acknowledged that strict compliance with its earlier order could lead to increased human-animal conflict and hamper the day-to-day activities of people living around protected areas. However, it prohibited mining within 1 km of protected areas.
The proposed reduction has drawn criticism from environmentalists and conservationists, who argue that a smaller buffer could increase human-wildlife conflict and affect wildlife movement around Kaziranga. Animals leave the park during annual floods in search of higher ground, while several identified wildlife corridors connecting Kaziranga to the Karbi Anglong Hills extend beyond the proposed 1-km zone.
Source:
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