Kaziranga ESZ row: ‘If 10-km zone remains, how will people in Bokakhat, Kaliabor live?’ Himanta hits Congress

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, August 17, hit out at the Congress for protesting against the proposed reduction of the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park, saying the party did not understand the implications of retaining the default 10-km zone.
 

Sarma said the ESZ around Kaziranga, which currently extends up to the default 10 km, would be reduced to 1 km-3 km in accordance with the Supreme Court's directions.
 

“If the eco-sensitive zone is 10 km from Bokakhat to Kaliabor, how will people live there?” Sarma said during a live interaction.
 

He said residents of Bokakhat and Kaliabor had already approached the Supreme Court over the issue and that local communities had been protesting for years against restrictions that could affect their homes, livelihoods and businesses.
 

“If you remove the local people from Kaziranga, where will these people go?” he asked.

Sarma said the issue was not about him or the government, but about the people living around Kaziranga. He criticised Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for opposing the move, alleging that he did not understand the ground situation.
 

Referring to the Supreme Court's directions on eco-sensitive zones, Sarma said the 10-km default provision was not applicable in the same manner and that the zone around Kaziranga would be reduced in accordance with the court's guidelines.
 

He said retaining a 10-km ESZ could have implications for settlements and economic establishments in the region, including Numaligarh Refinery.
 

“If the eco-sensitive zone is 10 km, the refinery will also go, Kaliabor and Bokakhat people will also go,” he said.
 

Sarma says Vantara offers technical assistance

On the proposal involving Vantara, Sarma said the organisation had not offered to come to Assam and operate hospitals itself. Instead, it had offered technical assistance to help the State establish hospitals for injured elephants.
 

He said human-elephant conflict was a recurring problem in Assam and elephants were frequently injured in such incidents.
 

Sarma said the government would examine the proposal before taking a decision.
 

“We will examine it. We are welcoming it, and if it suits us, we will take it,” he said.