Encroachment in Manas core habitat sparks concern over florican survival

Guwahati, March 8: A core area of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve – which also forms one of last refuges of the critically endangered Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) – continues to be under encroachment for over 25 years even as the State tom-toms its ‘success’ in freeing encroached forestland.

Repeated representations from the Forest Department to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which administers the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), over the urgent need to restore the 9.3 sq km land to the tiger reserve have elicited no response. Even the impending loss of a critical florican habitat has failed to make the State government treat the matter seriously.

Official communiques accessed by The Assam Tribune expose how both the BTC authorities and the State government are ignoring the gross violations of the law of the land, forest laws, and binding recommendations of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The seed farm at Kokilabari, measuring 9.3 sq km, forms part of the core/critical tiger habitat of the Manas Tiger Reserve. The Kokilabari seed farm was carved out from the 1st addition of the North Kamrup Reserve Forest and given on lease for a period of 30 years from November 17, 1971 to April 16, 2001, to the Government of India to establish a Central Seed Farm.

The entire North Kamrup Reserve Forest and its addition were included in the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in 1928, and subsequently to Manas National Park in 1990 and later in core/critical tiger habitat of the Manas Tiger Reserve in 2007.

“The area in question was to be returned to the Manas Tiger Reserve authorities on termination of a lease agreement in 2001, which never took place. The area is currently being given on lease by the BTR Government for agriculture purposes, through the Agriculture department,” forest sources told The Assam Tribune.

The Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves (MEE-TR) conducted by the NTCA, a statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and whose directions are binding, has strongly and repeatedly (in 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022) called for reclaiming the seed farm area at Kokilabari on priority basis, followed by eviction of other encroached areas at Betbari and Panbari.

“Representations have been made to the BTC to hand over the land to the Forest Department as late as May 26, 2023 and January 13, 2022, but a decision in this regard is yet to be taken by the Council government, which has created space for avoidable litigation,” sources said, adding that the inertia of the Assam government in exerting pressure on the BTC has perpetuated the stalemate.

Conservationists believe that a concrete decision by the BTC to hand over the plot of land back to the Forest Department/Manas Tiger Reserve authorities would set an example for recovery of the other encroached areas in Manas and also be demonstrative of the commitment of the government towards wildlife conservation.

“The land is being given on contract for paddy cultivation to the public by the Agriculture Department of BTR in gross violation of provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 besides the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The MEE recommendations issued by the NTCA directions are binding as per section 38 (O) (2) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,” sources pointed out.

Shockingly, the Assam government and the BTC – instead of restoring the forestland to Manas Tiger Reserve – have proposed a College of Agroforestry & Biodiversity and a Bengal Florican Conservation, Research & Ecotourism Site at Kokilabari. However, nothing has yet come up on the site, triggering a renewed call from conservationists and foresters to restore the encroached forestland to its original status.