Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed that no further encroachment be allowed to take place in the Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that has flagged large-scale unauthorized occupation of land within the protected area.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury was hearing the PIL filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury, a resident of Bokakhat in Golaghat district, against the Assam government, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), and other authorities.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Abir Phukan told the court that extensive encroachments have taken place within the National Park, particularly in the Panbari and Betbari areas. He also pointed to the Kokilabari Seed Farm, which he said is operating inside land falling within the National Park’s boundaries, with a substantial portion of land still being used for cultivation under the BTC’s Agriculture Department.
Additional Advocate General P. N. Goswami accepted notice on behalf of the Assam government and the Environment, Forest and Climate Change department, while Standing Counsel N. Choudhury accepted notice on behalf of the BTC.
The court directed that notice be issued to the remaining respondents — the Field Director of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority — returnable on October 7, 2026.
The petitioner has been given two weeks to indicate the steps required for service of notice on these respondents.
Pending the next hearing, the bench ordered that the respondent authorities “shall ensure that no further encroachment in the Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve takes place,” offering interim protection to the reserve — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of India’s key tiger habitats — while the matter is examined further.
The case, registered as PIL/47/2026, will next come up before the court on October 7, 2026.