Assam: CPI demands withdrawal of proposal to shrink Kaziranga eco-sensitive zone

A CORRESPONDENT

NAZIRA: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has expressed deep concern over the Assam Government's reported move to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and has demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposal.

In a statement, CPI Assam State Council Secretary Kanak Gogoi said that reports suggest that instead of the existing default 10-km Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga, the government is proposing to limit the ESZ to just 1-3 km in different locations.

The CPI strongly opposed the move, alleging that shrinking the protected zone in the name of development could ultimately benefit large corporate groups. "A policy that compromises the protection of Kaziranga in the interests of handing over land to large corporate groups such as Adani and Ambani is completely unacceptable," Gogoi said.

The party said that Kaziranga is not merely an asset of Assam but an invaluable natural heritage of the entire country. The party said the ESZ serves as an essential buffer between protected areas, human settlements, and development activities. Any reduction in this buffer, it warned, could increase the pressure from unregulated construction, commercialisation, industries, mining, and expansion of roads and other infrastructure.

Such activities could lead to fragmentation of wildlife habitats, obstruction of elephant and other wildlife corridors and a rise in human-wildlife conflict, the CPI said.

The party further argued that destruction of nature in the name of development cannot lead to sustainable development. Any deterioration of Kaziranga's ecosystem would affect not only wildlife but also farmers, forest-dependent communities, locals, and the wider environment of Assam. The CPI called upon the Assam Government to immediately withdraw the proposal to reduce Kaziranga's ESZ.

Also Read: AASU Calls for White Paper on Reduction of Kaziranga Eco-Sensitive Zone