GUWAHATI: The political debate over proposed luxury hotel projects near Kaziranga National Park has intensified, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defending regulated tourism development and accusing opposition parties of taking contradictory positions on the issue.
Speaking amid protests over the government’s approach to development around Kaziranga, Sarma argued that the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) framework does not impose a blanket ban on every form of construction or commercial activity.
According to the Chief Minister, activities considered highly damaging to the environment, including mining, chemical industries and heavily polluting industries, are subject to restrictions in ESZ areas. Other projects, he said, can be considered within the applicable environmental and regulatory framework.
Sarma also defended the expansion of tourism infrastructure around Kaziranga, one of Assam’s major wildlife destinations. He pointed to well-known wildlife tourism centres such as Jim Corbett and Gir, where hospitality infrastructure has developed around protected areas.
The Chief Minister questioned the opposition to the proposed five-star hotel projects, alleging that some of those criticising the developments themselves use hotels while visiting Kaziranga. He described this as a contradiction in the political campaign against the projects.
The controversy comes amid a wider dispute over the proposed changes to Kaziranga’s Eco-Sensitive Zone. The Assam government has proposed reducing the zone from the default 10-kilometre buffer to a site-specific 1-kilometre zone. The existing 10-kilometre buffer is expected to remain in force until the proposed ESZ is formally notified.
The proposal has faced strong opposition from the Congress, which has argued for retaining a wider protective buffer around the national park. Congress workers recently staged a demonstration near the Kohora range, raising concerns over the environmental implications of reducing the ESZ.
Sarma, meanwhile, sought to shift the focus towards his government’s record on wildlife protection. Referring to the long-standing challenges of rhino poaching and encroachment around Kaziranga, he highlighted measures taken by his government to strengthen conservation and wildlife protection.
He also referred to the development of an animal corridor intended to improve connectivity between Kaziranga and areas towards Nagaon, presenting it as part of the broader conservation measures undertaken by the state.
Responding to the political protests, the Chief Minister claimed that the demonstrations did not reflect widespread public opposition to his government. Referring specifically to protests in the Kohora area, he said that protesters had targeted opposition leaders with effigies rather than directing their demonstrations against him.
The remarks have added another political dimension to an already contentious debate involving conservation, tourism, local livelihoods and land-use regulations around Kaziranga.
At the centre of the controversy is the question of how Assam should balance the economic potential of high-end tourism with the need to protect one of India’s most important wildlife habitats. With the ESZ proposal and proposed hotel projects continuing to draw competing arguments from the government, opposition parties and environmental concerns, the issue is likely to remain a major point of public and political debate in Assam.
