Nurturing Kaziranga's eco-sensitivity

As Assam government plans to notify a site-specific eco-sensitive zone (ESZ, ecologically fragile area) around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve extending from one to three kilometers from the existing boundary thus replacing the default 10 km limit, public debates warmed up in both the mainstream and social media. Even though the initiative complies with directives from the Supreme Court of India, the issue gained public attention following protest demonstrations by the opposition parties and wildlife experts. Till now the UNESCO world heritage site in the far eastern part of India has not notified ESZ boundary and hence the 10 km buffer applies to the celebrated biodiversity hotspot. Kaziranga, a globally famous wildlife reserve in eastern Assam, gives shelter to over 2,610 greater one-horned rhinoceros (nearly 70% of the animal's global population).  Comprising wetlands, grasslands, and semi-evergreen forests, Kaziranga's ecosystem is regularly influenced by annual flood water from the mighty Brahmaputra river.

The debate gained momentum as Dispur recently announced its plans to approach the Union government in New Delhi to reduce the limit of Kaziranga ESZ buffer to a minimum of one km. The mandatory buffer zone around the protected areas usually restricts any major construction, urban expansion or mining activities as these interventions may worsen the human-wildlife conflicts. On some specific occasions, the wildlife may cross the boundary and enter the buffer zone as in case of  Kaziranga forest reserve it has no fencing or concrete boundary and during the monsoon floods, the animals usually cross the  National Highway-715 (formerly NH-37) to reach the Karbi Anglong hills. The opposition parties along with many environment enthusiasts strongly reacted to the government proposal for reducing the coverage areas than the default 10 km citing the reason that it would jeopardize the mission to protect the wildlife on various  occasions. Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, while opposing the ESZ  proposal, argued that a reduced buffer zone would deprive the wildlife of necessary protection. Leaders from the Communist Party of India also opposed the move to reduce the  Kaziranga  ESZ and demanded its withdrawal.

However, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly defended the proposal to redraw the ESZ line around Kaziranga asserting that the government move complies with the apex court's directives. The SC guidelines specify that the ESZ should be at least one km (from the boundary) and it may extend to three  km depending on situations, said Sarma, adding  no forest reserve across the world maintains a surrounding  ESZ spreading to 10 km. He also argued that an ESZ does not mean 'no tourism infrastructure' but a primary guideline to regulate activities such as mining, chemical exercises and other polluting industries that may harm the ecological integrity of a protected area. Sarma reiterated that the Kaziranga boundary continues to exist with a 10 km buffer until the government officially notifies the ESZ limit. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party's state president Dilip Saikia and state minister Pijush Hazarika assured that the notifying of the ESZ limit will never dilute the initiative for environmental protection around Kaziranga.  Criticizing  the Congress leaders for raising voice against the move, they reminded that over 235 precious rhinos were killed during the tenure of then state forest minister Rakibul Hussain. They denounced the opposition for politicizing  the Kaziranga's ESZ  issue for probable electoral gains.

Many local residents also come out supporting the proposal for a site-specific buffer zone. They pointed out that the villages surrounding Kaziranga often face various developmental challenges limiting their livelihood opportunities. Organizing a number of demonstrations in support of reducing the ESZ limit, those locals asserted that the development and conservation initiatives should not clash with each other, rather than mutually coexist. The latest one at Biswanath Ghat on 21 August, where thousands gathered in support of a reduced ESZ around Kaziranga, put forward the logic that conservation measures should not destroy the livelihoods of local communities. The protesters advocated for  a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, initiated while implementing the new ESZ perimeter. For any policy decision, they insisted,  the surrounding communities should always  matter as they have been playing the role of an important stakeholder in protecting the Kaziranga inmates for decades.