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Conservation watchdog asks Assam to act on damage to wildlife corridors in Kaziranga
In February this year too, the NTCA had issued a similar letter to the Assam government on allegations of encroachment of government land and destruction of wildlife corridors at Kaziranga National Park.
Guwahati: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has directed the Assam government to take action on allegations of encroachment of government land and destruction of wildlife corridors at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) as well as human-animal conflict in the area.
The authority issued the directions following a complaint by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury alleging clearance of jungle, excavation work at an animal corridor and encroachment of government land leading to destruction of wildlife corridors and hindrance to movement of wild animals between KNPTR and nearly Karbi Anglong district.
“In view of the alleged violations, for furnishing the factual status of the said matter and also to take action as appropriate for preventing the destruction and encroachment of animal corridors between Kaziranga and Karbi Anglong. The matter may please be treated as most urgent,” the letter issued by NTCA to Assam chief secretary Jishnu Baruah on May 12 read.
The NTCA had issued a similar letter to the Assam government in February this year based on similar allegations. But the authority noted that “needful action in the matter is still pending”.
In April, 2019, the Supreme Court had passed an order banning construction of any kind on private lands which form part of the nine wildlife corridors in and around KNPTR.
But subsequent studies detected 22 illegal constructions of which only one has been removed till date. The structures include a government guest house, a wine shop, 6 vehicle parking spots, five resorts, residential buildings, a marriage hall, two restaurants, a cafe and a hotel.
In March this year, the central empowered committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court pulled up the Assam government for slackness in protecting nine animal corridors in and around KNPTR and directed speeding up of demolition and removal of illegal structures.
The NTCA also issued another letter on May 19 to the Assam government regarding human-animal conflict from 2010-11 to 2019-20 under the Eastern Assam wildlife division and Nagaon (Territorial) division connecting KNPTR and hills in Karbi Anglong.
“Appropriate action in the said matter may please be initiated immediately and instructions may be issued for furnishing the factual status/action taken to this authority within May 25,” the letter to chief secretary Jishnu Baruah read.
The encroachments, constructions and damage to wildlife corridors impact movement of wild animals escaping from the park to the hills in Karbi Anglong especially during the annual floods that submerge a large portion of KNPTR and also leads to increase in human-animal conflict in the area.
