Amid reports of a possible reduction in the protected zone surrounding Kaziranga National Park, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika has defended the state government’s position, saying the process is being carried out in line with directions issued by the Supreme Court.
Hazarika dismissed reports suggesting that Assam was planning to shrink the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga from 10 kilometres to just 1 kilometre. He said such reports did not accurately reflect the legal framework governing ESZs around national parks.
According to the minister, the Supreme Court has directed states to notify Eco-Sensitive Zones around national parks within a range of 1 km to 3 km. He further explained that in cases where a state has not formally notified an ESZ, the protection zone can extend up to 10 km in accordance with the applicable court directions.
Hazarika said the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga National Park had not previously been formally notified by the Assam government. The state is now taking steps to complete the process while following the Supreme Court’s guidelines, he said.
The minister also rejected suggestions that the government’s move would weaken environmental safeguards around Kaziranga, one of Assam’s most important wildlife conservation areas.
He maintained that the proposed notification should instead be viewed as an effort to bring the state’s existing regulatory framework into line with the Supreme Court’s directions, rather than as an attempt to dilute protection around the national park.
The issue has attracted attention because of the ecological importance of Kaziranga and the need to balance wildlife conservation with the interests of people and development activities in areas surrounding the park.
