Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, during his visit to Bokakhat, said the state government will approach the Centre within two months to seek a reduction in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park from the current 10-km default limit to 1 km.
The government wants the proposed change to ease restrictions on infrastructure and urban development in and around Bokakhat. Planned projects include a modern stadium and other civic works.
Sarma said the state will submit its proposal to the Centre after Kaziranga receives its final ESZ notification, noting that the default 10-km limit currently applies only because that formal process remains incomplete.
According to Sarma, the state plans to seek a scientifically determined 1-km ESZ that would allow development projects in Bokakhat to move forward while maintaining protection for Kaziranga’s wildlife.
The proposal comes amid uncertainty over the final boundaries of Kaziranga’s ESZ. In March this year, the Gauhati High Court recorded that the Centre had not received either a final notification or a draft ESZ proposal from the Assam government, leaving the 10-km limit in force.
The move could also renew debate over the government’s recent decisions concerning Kaziranga’s expansion and protection. In June 2025, Assam withdrew the preliminary notification for the proposed ninth addition to Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Sonitpur district.
The notification, issued in September 2020, covered 2,570 hectares in the Tezpur Revenue Circle. Conservationists criticised its withdrawal, saying the proposed addition was important for maintaining connectivity between Kaziranga and the wider landscape towards Nameri.
They also expressed concern that the decision could open the area to development and commercial activities where environmental restrictions had previously applied.
The proposed ESZ reduction could lead to further discussion on conservation and development around Kaziranga, particularly in Bokakhat.