By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: A complaint has been submitted to the Supreme Court–appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) by an environmental activist, alleging illegal construction activities inside wildlife corridors connecting Kaziranga National Park with Assam’s Karbi Anglong hills.
Rohit Choudhury, an activist from Bokakhat in Golaghat district, wrote to the committee on May 11, claiming that construction of a school is underway in the Haldhibari corridor, while a residential structure is being built in the Panbari corridor.
He argued that these developments violate a 2019 Supreme Court order that restricts new construction in designated wildlife movement areas.
Serving as an advisory body to the Supreme Court on forest and environmental matters, the Central Empowered Committee monitors compliance with court directives and assists in enforcement of key conservation rulings.
Under the 2019 judgment, the court had placed restrictions on mining and related activities across the Kaziranga landscape, including river and stream catchment areas originating from the Karbi Anglong hills.
It also clearly directed that “private land falling within the nine identified animal corridors shall not be used for any new construction,” aiming to safeguard animal movement during floods.
Wildlife in the region, including elephants, rhinos, tigers, wild buffaloes, and swamp deer, depends on these corridors to move to safer elevated areas during flooding, often crossing National Highway 37, which has divided the Kaziranga landscape into two parts.
According to Choudhury’s submission, a school structure near NH-37 in the Haldhibari corridor is being constructed in full public view. He described it as “a clear violation of court directions and environmental safeguards.” The Haldhibari corridor covers around 8.10 square kilometres.
Another violation cited in the complaint involves “a residential building coming up along the NH-37 stretch within the Panbari corridor,” along with “land filling activity near the Singjuri water channel.”
He has urged the committee to halt all ongoing construction across the nine notified corridors and compile a detailed record of violations linked to the 2019 ruling.
Kaziranga National Park authorities have said the issue is under examination. Field Director Sonali Ghosh noted that the department will verify whether the reported structures fall within officially demarcated corridor boundaries.
The legal case traces back to a petition filed by Choudhury, which led to the 2019 Supreme Court order on corridor protection. Following the judgment, the Assam government formally notified nine wildlife corridors in 2022, including Amguri, Panbari, Haldhibari, Bagori, Harmati, Kanchanjuri, Hatidandi, Deosur, and Chirang.
A state-appointed expert panel, which studied human–wildlife conflict patterns, roadkill data on NH-37, camera trap evidence, field surveys, and community feedback, was responsible for defining the corridor boundaries.
The report also acknowledged the presence of commercial establishments and parking areas in sections of the Haldhibari stretch.
Two categories of corridors were identified by the committee, functional corridors, where animal movement has been directly recorded, and structural corridors, which serve as ecological linkages between fragmented forest patches.