Context: The Assam government plans to seek MoEFCC approval for a site-specific 1–3 km Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, instead of the default 10 km guideline.
About Kaziranga’s Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ):
What It Is?
- An Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)—also termed an Ecologically Fragile Area—is a legally demarcated buffer strip surrounding protected areas (National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries) notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It acts as a “shock absorber” and transition zone between highly protected wildlife habitats and surrounding human landscapes, regulating industrial activities, curbing human-wildlife conflict, and safeguarding ecological corridors.
Location of Kaziranga:
- State & Districts: Located in the state of Assam, spanning the districts of Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, and Biswanath.
- Landscape Boundaries: Flanked by the Brahmaputra River along its northern boundary and the rugged hills of Karbi Anglong to the south.
Key Features of Kaziranga:
- Brahmaputra Alluvial Floodplains: The park sits within the low-lying, flat alluvial floodplain of the Brahmaputra River, where regular flood cycles deposit nutrient-rich silt that continuously rejuvenates the wetland ecology.
- Grassland–Wetland Mosaic: The terrain features dense tracts of tall elephant grasses (Saccharum, Imperata), rugged reeds, and marshlands interspersed with tropical moist broadleaf and semi-evergreen forests.
- Beels & Oxbow Lakes: The landscape is dotted with numerous semi-permanent water bodies and oxbow lakes (locally called beels), alongside sluggish interconnected streams (jan) created by shifting river courses.
- South-Flank Highland Refuge (Karbi Anglong): The southern fringe connects with the Karbi Anglong hills across National Highway-715 (formerly NH-37). These elevated forested highlands serve as essential high-ground refuges for wildlife fleeing submerged lowlands during monsoon floods.
- Mega-Herbivore Habitat: The habitat supports the world’s largest population of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), alongside Asian elephants, royal Bengal tigers, wild water buffaloes, and eastern swamp deer (Barasingha).
Key Issues Regarding the Eco-Sensitive Zone:
- Narrower ESZ: Reducing the buffer from the broader default framework to 1 km could expose areas near Kaziranga to greater development pressure.
- Wildlife Corridor Disruption: Construction, quarrying and mining could obstruct routes used by rhinos, elephants, tigers and deer to reach the Karbi Anglong hills during floods.
- Development–Conservation Conflict: Assam argues that a wider buffer could restrict livelihoods and development in adjoining towns such as Bokakhat and Kaliabor.
- Tourism & Infrastructure Pressure: A narrow ESZ could encourage resorts and other infrastructure near the park, increasing pollution, traffic and habitat disturbance.
