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Environment activist moves Supreme Court�s CEC

By Ajit Patowary - 15 Sep 2010 12:00 AM GMT

GUWAHATI, Sept 30 - RTI-cum-environment activist Rohit Choudhury has moved the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court on the matter of the proposed eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). Choudhury, in his complaint with the CEC on September 29, 2020, has also pleaded for action against the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of Assam for his misleading the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on this issue, with the statement that the KNP ESZ proposal was prepared in line with the observations made by the CEC.

Moreover, Choudhury alleged, that the CWLW has also tried his best to favour the illegal mining lobby by keeping the Karbi Anglong mining area adjacent to the KNP, the KNP animal corridors out of the ESZ.

The proposal for the ESZ around KNP, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was presented through video conferencing, before the MoEFCC�s ESZ Expert Committee�s 41st meeting. The ESZ Expert Committee did not agree with State�s proposal on the matter. The proposal has sought to demarcate the ESZ at a distance varying between zero and 6.2 kilometres (kms) from the KNP boundary.

The minutes of the above the meeting, in agenda item number 5.3, said, ��Shri MK Yadava, Forest Department, Govt of Assam gave the detailed presentation on the proposal. It was informed that ESZ proposal for Kaziranga National Park was submitted to Ministry on 28th July, 2015. After subsequent meetings and discussions within the Ministry and by the Expert Committee, State was asked to revise the proposal integrating Kaziranga National Park and its adjoining eight (8) PAs (protected areas). It was referred that in pursuance to the Hon�ble Supreme Court Order dated 12th April, 2019 in WPC 202/1995, mining activities has now restricted in Karbi Anglong Hills, adjoining to Kaziranga National Park and also new constructions has been banned in 9 identified corridors.

�The Committee pointed out that in spite of restrictions & ban imposed by Hon�ble Court the present proposal of ESZ for Kaziranga NP has been submitted in isolated form without integrating eight adjoining PAs. Further, it was observed that the extent of the ESZ in most of locations are almost zero and it is referred as zero to 6.2 km in the draft notification. The State Govt representative informed that the standalone ESZ proposal of Kaziranga NP is prepared taking into account the observation of Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by Hon�ble Supreme Court,� the minutes said.

The Committee members, along with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) experts, insisted for a proposal that integrates the ESZ around the KNP with the eight PAs, together with the reserved forests. For, they expressed the fear that the State Government�s extant proposal might have long-term negative impacts on the entire biodiversity of the area.

Choudhury, in his complaint lodged with the CEC, said the main objective of the ESZs around National Parks and Sanctuaries, as per the December 4, 2006 order of the Supreme Court, is to create some kinds of �Shock Absorber� for the PAs and act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection. However, Assam�s Chief Wildlife Warden MK Yadava, while presenting the proposal for the ESZ around KNP, seemed to have totally forgotten the basic concept of ESZs and had tried to make a mockery of the entire ESZ around KNP by ignoring the December 4, 2006 order of the Supreme Court, he said.