- The Assam government plans to reduce Kaziranga's buffer zone from 10 km to 1 km
- Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says he will submit the proposal within two months
- The current 10-km buffer zone is by default, not based on a specific state notification, he said
The Assam government plans to approach the Centre for reducing the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) from the existing 10-km extent to 1 km.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state would send its proposal to the Union government within the next two months for consideration and notification of the revised zone.
Sarma had spoken about the proposed change on August 8, saying the 10-km area currently being treated as the ESZ around Kaziranga was not based on a specific state notification.
He said the state was following the 10-km provision as a default arrangement until the ESZ was formally notified.
The proposed revision is also being seen in the context of development activities around Kaziranga. The government has cited the need for greater room for infrastructure projects in areas outside the protected area, including a proposed stadium.
The Chief Minister said that after the state completes the notification process, the ESZ could be limited to 1 km, referring to the Supreme Court's direction on eco-sensitive zones around protected areas.
The Supreme Court, in June 2022, had directed that protected areas should ordinarily have an ESZ extending at least 1 km from their boundaries, while allowing for variations depending on existing notifications and specific circumstances.
Under the ESZ system, certain activities in the regulated area are restricted or subject to approval to prevent adverse impacts on protected areas. The zone itself does not mean a blanket ban on human activity.
Any reduction in the area around Kaziranga is likely to attract close attention from wildlife conservation groups, given the pressure from construction and other activities in areas adjoining the park.
Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Assam's most important wildlife areas and is particularly known for its population of one-horned rhinoceroses.
The state government will now work on the proposal before sending it to the Centre for approval and further action.
