Illegal constructions on Kaziranga animal corridors still remain
On November 3 last year, Assam had sought three months’ time from Supreme Court’s central empowered committee to remove the encroachments and constructions from the animal corridors. But it failed to keep to the deadline.
As many as 21 out of 22 constructions, including a government guest house, on animal corridors in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve are yet to be demolished, in violation of the Supreme Court’s order, according to an official letter.
One-horned rhinos inside the Bagori range of Kaziranga National Park in Nagaon district. (PTI)
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The letter, written on February 15 by Kaziranga’s field director P Sivakumar to Assam’s chief wildlife warden MK Yadava, provides the details of the illegal constructions on six of the nine corridors located in Nagaon, Karbi Anglong (East) and Golaghat districts.
These include a government guest house in Haldhibari, a wine shop, six parking lots, five resorts, residential buildings, a marriage hall, two restaurants, a cafe and a hotel. Other than taking down a boundary wall of a resort in the Haldhibari corridor in Golaghat district, all other structures were still not removed, the letter said.
The constructions hinder movement of wildlife from the national park, especially during the annual floods that submerge a large portion of Kaziranga. In April 2019, the top court had banned all new constructions on the animal corridors and ordered removal of existing structures.
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Sivakumar asked Yadava in the letter to request the Assam government “to issue necessary instructions” to district authorities to “remove illegal construction and to ban vehicle parking on the animal corridors and also stop clearing of natural patches and earth cutting”.
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Sivakumar asked Yadava in the letter to request the Assam government “to issue necessary instructions” to district authorities to “remove illegal construction and to ban vehicle parking on the animal corridors and also stop clearing of natural patches and earth cutting”.
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On November 3 last year, Assam had sought three months’ time from Supreme Court’s central empowered committee to remove the encroachments and constructions from the animal corridors. But it failed to keep to the deadline.
The state government’s assurance came following directions by empowered panel in October to remove all construction on the animal corridors. The move followed a report filed in September, which indicated that despite the apex court ruling in April 2019, new structures have been built in these areas.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
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