Guwahati: In a significant development, the Assam government has abruptly withdrawn its ambitious proposal for a massive 3600 sq. km integrated Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) encompassing Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (KNP&TR) and seven adjoining Protected Areas.
In a letter addressed to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota cited unresolved boundary issues, unsettled community rights, and the potential for severe socio-economic distress as key reasons for the withdrawal.
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The initial proposal, submitted in May 2024, aimed to create a unified buffer zone around a network of crucial wildlife habitats, including Kaziranga National Park along with its ten proposed additions, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary (including its 1st Addition), Nambor-Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary, Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary, East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary, and the proposed North Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary.
This vast zone would have impacted approximately 340 villages across five districts and an estimated 5 lakh people, a significant portion belonging to Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and economically weaker sections, the letter read.
Chief Secretary Kota, in his letter, pointed out that the boundaries of several proposed additions to KNP&TR remain unfixed, some pending for decades.
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Kota also mentioned that the rights of local communities residing within these eight Protected Areas are yet to be settled.
He emphasized that the implementation of such a large integrated ESZ without addressing these fundamental issues would severely impede development, potentially lead to population displacement, and inflict long-term socio-economic hardship on vulnerable populations.
The proposed ESZ also encompassed vital public infrastructure, including schools, colleges, hospitals, drinking water and irrigation facilities, rural markets, industries like Numaligarh Refinery Limited, and crucial national highways (NH-37 and NH-39).
Acknowledging these serious concerns and the potential for widespread human suffering, the State Government has decided to adopt a new approach, Kota stated.
Chief Secretary Kota informed the Ministry that Assam will now submit separate ESZ proposals for each of the eight Protected Areas and the additions of KNP&TR individually.
This revised strategy will allow for a more nuanced consideration of the specific ecological, demographic, and socio-economic context of each area.
Chief Secretary Kota urged the Ministry to consider the earlier integrated ESZ proposal as withdrawn, emphasizing that this decision was taken in the larger interest of the people and the sustainable development of the region.