4 days ago
Assam Congress Protests Proposed Kaziranga Eco-Sensitive Zone Reduction
The Assam Congress held marches to oppose a plan involving the protected area around Kaziranga National Park.
The plan would ask the central government to reduce the area around the park where certain activities are restricted.
The current default distance is 10 kilometres, while the proposed distance would be 1 to 3 kilometres.
Congress leaders and environmental activists fear this could allow more mining and tourism near the park.
They also warn that animals and people could come into conflict more often.
Police stopped some protesters in Guwahati from marching out of the Congress office area.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says the proposal is meant to help villagers living inside the zone.
The Congress says it will continue protesting until the proposal is withdrawn.
The Assam Congress held statewide padayatras on Saturday against a proposed reduction of Kaziranga National Park’s Eco-Sensitive Zone.
Protests took place in districts including Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat.
In Guwahati, police barricaded Congress workers near the party office in Dispur, prompting some protesters to try to breach the barricades.
The Congress demanded withdrawal of the proposal and alleged it could benefit large corporate entities through expanded commercial activity.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the plan, saying it would protect villagers’ interests and livelihoods within the zone.
- Who
- The Assam Congress, its leaders and workers, environmental critics, and the Assam government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
- What
- The Congress organised statewide protests against a proposal to reduce Kaziranga’s Eco-Sensitive Zone from the default 10 kilometres to 1–3 kilometres.
- Where
- Across Assam, including district headquarters and the Dispur area of Guwahati.
- When
- Saturday, August 29.
- Why
- Congress leaders and environmentalists oppose the proposed reduction because they say it could enable commercial mining and tourism, increase human-animal conflict, and threaten biodiversity; the government says it would protect villagers’ interests and livelihoods.
Congress and Environmental Critics
Assam Government
Reason for the proposal
Congress and Environmental Critics
Congress leaders alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was compromising the national park’s interests to benefit large corporate entities.
Assam Government
Sarma said the proposed reduction was intended to protect the interests and livelihoods of villagers living within the Eco-Sensitive Zone.
Commercial activity
Congress and Environmental Critics
Opposition parties and activists said a narrower zone could facilitate commercial mining and tourism around Kaziranga and the adjoining Karbi Anglong hills.
Assam Government
The government’s stated justification focused on villagers’ livelihoods; the reports do not provide a separate detailed government response to the mining and tourism allegations.
Environmental effects
Congress and Environmental Critics
Environmentalists warned that reducing the buffer could increase human-animal conflict and threaten the biodiversity of the World Heritage Site.
Assam Government
The government defended the proposal but did not, in the reports, give a detailed response to those environmental warnings.
Key facts
- Protected area
- Kaziranga National Park, described in the reports as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Current default ESZ
- 10 kilometres around the park.
- Proposed ESZ
- A reduction to between 1 and 3 kilometres.
- Protesting organisation
- Assam Congress.
- Protest format
- Statewide padayatras, or marches.
- Guwahati incident
- Police stopped protesters from leaving the Congress office area in Dispur; some workers attempted to breach barricades.
- Government position
- Himanta Biswa Sarma said the reduction would protect the interests and livelihoods of villagers living within the ESZ.
Quotes
Wazed Ali Choudhury
Leader of Opposition in the Assam state assembly
“We will not allow the BJP-led government to damage Kaziranga National Park, which is our pride. We will not relent till the decision is reversed.”
theprint.in
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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