Assam Cong stages statewide protests against proposed Kaziranga ESZ reduction

The Assam Congress on Saturday staged statewide protests against the proposed reduction of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park, with party leaders and workers holding padayatras in several districts and demanding that the plan be withdrawn.

Protests were held in Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat, among other places. Congress workers marched through district headquarters, raising slogans against the BJP-led state government and opposing the proposed changes to the protected area surrounding the national park.

In Guwahati, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Wazed Ali Choudhury, former MP Ripun Bora and state Congress women's wing president Mira Borthakur joined the protest.

Police stopped the protesters from leaving the Congress office in Dispur. Party workers subsequently attempted to cross the barricades and take the demonstration onto the streets.

Choudhury said the Congress would continue its agitation until the government withdrew the proposal.

"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," he said.

Bora and Borthakur said the party would continue raising the issue across Assam and seek to create greater public awareness about the proposed reduction.

The Congress leaders also accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of compromising the interests of Kaziranga to benefit large corporate entities, allegations the state government has rejected.

What is the proposed ESZ change?

The controversy centres on the Assam government's proposal to approach the Centre seeking a reduction in the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga National Park and its associated protected areas.

The government has proposed that the ESZ, instead of extending up to the default 10-km limit, be restricted to between 1 km and 3 km in different areas.

Eco-Sensitive Zones are intended to act as a buffer around protected areas. Depending on the activity, commercial and developmental activities within these zones may be prohibited, regulated or permitted under specified environmental norms.

Opposition parties and environmental activists have raised concerns that reducing the ESZ could weaken restrictions on commercial activity around Kaziranga.

They have particularly warned that a narrower buffer could facilitate commercial tourism, mining and other development activities around the national park and the adjoining Karbi Anglong hills.

The Karbi Anglong region is also considered an important elephant corridor, adding to concerns about the impact of increased human activity on wildlife movement.

Environmentalists have cautioned that reducing the protected buffer could increase human-animal conflict and put additional pressure on the biodiversity of Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its population of one-horned rhinoceroses and other wildlife.

Government defends proposal

The Assam government, however, has maintained that the proposed reduction is aimed at addressing the difficulties faced by people living in villages within the existing ESZ.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has defended the proposal, arguing that the existing restrictions can affect the interests and livelihoods of local residents.

The government has said the proposed changes are intended to balance conservation requirements with the needs of communities living around the national park.

The proposal will ultimately require consideration by the Centre and the relevant environmental authorities before any change to the ESZ is implemented.

For the Congress, however, the issue has emerged as a major conservation and political flashpoint, with the party vowing to continue its statewide campaign against the proposed reduction.