GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, August 8, said the state government will send a proposal to the Centre in New Delhi within the next two months, seeking to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park from the existing 10 km to 1 km.
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Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are designated areas around protected areas that are intended to provide additional environmental protection because of their rich biodiversity, fragile ecosystems or critical ecological functions.
Addressing the media in Bokakhat, Sarma said the current 10-km ESZ has created several difficulties for residents and has also affected developmental activities in the area.
“I will try to ensure that within two months, we send our proposal to Delhi. Once our wildlife sanctuary is officially notified, the eco-sensitive zone will be limited to just 1 km. Then, there will be no issues here,” Sarma said.
He added that if the proposal is accepted, the existing 10-km restriction would be reduced to 1 km, which, according to him, would provide relief to people living around Kaziranga.
“Once done, instead of the 10 km limit, it will become 1 km, relieving the public from many difficulties. We will complete this work quickly,” the Chief Minister said.
Sarma also attributed the existing 10-km ESZ to what he described as the state government’s failure to properly notify Kaziranga National Park to the Centre in the past.
According to the Chief Minister, the absence of proper notification resulted in the 10-km zone being applied by default, creating restrictions on developmental activities around the national park.
“The issue is that in the eco-sensitive zone around a sanctuary, we cannot carry out certain development works within a 1 km radius. However, because the government here did not notify about Kaziranga properly in the past, it defaults to a 10 km zone,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister maintained that the proposed reduction of the ESZ would address the difficulties faced by the public while allowing developmental activities to be carried out with fewer restrictions.
The Assam government is now expected to prepare and submit its proposal to the Centre in New Delhi within two months, following which the matter will be considered by the concerned authorities.