Assam Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika on August 13 said the state government was following Supreme Court guidelines while notifying the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park, rejecting reports that the protected zone was being reduced from 10 km to 1 km.
Hazarika said the Supreme Court had directed state governments to notify ESZs around national parks within a range of 1 km to 3 km. Where an ESZ had not been notified by a state government, the zone would extend up to 10 km.
He said Assam had not previously notified the ESZ around Kaziranga and was now proceeding in line with the court’s directions.
The minister maintained that the move did not represent any dilution or reduction of environmental protection around the national park. He said it was intended to comply with the judicial framework governing ESZ notifications.
Hazarika’s clarification came amid concerns and discussions over the proposed limits of the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga, one of Assam’s most prominent protected areas.
