Assam: Gaurav Gogoi leads Congress protest against Kaziranga ESZ reduction proposal

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), led by state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, staged a protest in Kohora on August 17 against the Assam government’s proposal to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park from 10 km to 1 km.

Several senior Congress leaders participated in the demonstration and opposed the proposed reduction, arguing that any dilution of the existing environmental safeguards could have implications for wildlife conservation and the ecological security of Kaziranga and its surrounding areas.

Gogoi was joined by Congress leaders Meera Borthakur, former MLA Durlav Chamua, Shivamoni Bora, Pranati Phukan and Satyabrata Kalita, among others, during the protest.

The Congress has urged the Assam government to withdraw the proposal and retain adequate environmental safeguards around the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In a social media post, the party described Kaziranga as one of Assam’s most valuable natural treasures and said conservation should be prioritised over commercial interests.

“Stop selling Kaziranga to your corporate friends,” the Congress said in the post while criticising the proposed reduction of the ESZ.

The protest comes amid growing political opposition to the proposed change in the protected zone around Kaziranga. The APCC has maintained that any decision concerning the ESZ should take into account the long-term interests of wildlife conservation and the environment.

The Congress has called on the state government to reconsider the proposal and ensure that ecological protection remains a priority in decisions concerning Kaziranga and its surrounding areas.