Kaziranga in Crisis: Corridors, Courts, and Conservation Clashes
Kaziranga National Park’s eco-sensitive zones are under threat as resorts encroach on wildlife corridors, risking the park’s biodiversity. The Gauhati High Court and Supreme Court weigh in on the delay in implementing conservation measures.
On Thursday, the Gauhati High Court found itself between a rock and a hard place—or rather, between a rhino and a resort—when it kept pending a petition about the missing eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) in Kaziranga National Park. At the heart of this legal maze is the delicate balance of protecting Kaziranga’s famed biodiversity while managing the ever-growing encroachment of development in its animal corridors.
The petition, lodged by environmental enthusiast Rajeev Bhattacharyya, raises a kerfuffle about Kaziranga’s increasingly endangered eco-sensitive zones. In essence, it’s not just about conservation; it’s a plea against the “mushrooming” of resorts popping up like daisies on the plains. According to Bhattacharyya, these unbridled resorts are growing right in the animal corridors, effectively blocking the routes used by Kaziranga’s famed residents—the rhinos, elephants, and all manner of wildlife who, let’s face it, were here first.
The origins of this saga date back to 2002, when the Central government decided that all national parks should have ESZs in place. Seems straightforward enough, doesn’t it? However, two decades later, Assam’s ESZ designation remains as elusive as a tiger sighting on a rainy day. The Supreme Court chimed in with reminders in 2006, but still, it appears the matter has been pushed to the bottom of the ‘urgent’ pile. Even after three attempts by the Assam government to get the ESZ proposal past the Centre, the plans were declared, well, incomplete each time.
Adding fuel to this blazing bonfire of bureaucracy, the Centre asked Assam to prepare an “integrated corridor” plan for Kaziranga. Yet, despite the directive, there’s been as much action on this front as a sleeping sloth. The real kicker? The Supreme Court had already banned mining in Karbi Anglong—a crucial buffer for Kaziranga—in 2019 and 2013. But, as Bhattacharyya noted in his plea, the mining trucks continue to roll through, defying both the courts and common sense.
With frustration mounting, Bhattacharyya’s petition also demands a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter, particularly questioning the reasons behind the delay and pushing for the removal of illegal permanent structures in the park’s nine designated corridors. A division bench of the high court, however, opted for the path of patience. Given that a similar case is already in the Supreme Court, the High Court decided to keep this matter simmering on the back burner until the apex court rolls out a definitive verdict.
For now, we’re all left to watch this courtroom drama unfold, hoping it doesn’t end in a legal stalemate. After all, the residents of Kaziranga—both hoofed and otherwise—have no voice in this matter, yet they’re the ones with the most at stake. Perhaps this is the time for a good old British-style nudge to the bureaucrats and a reminder that Kaziranga’s wildlife corridors are, quite literally, a lifeline for some of the most majestic creatures on earth. It’s high time someone had the gumption to sort this mess out once and for all.
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