After shocking revelations of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India about the dire state of management of Kaziranga National Park, home to one-horned rhinoceros, the National Green Tribunal has issued notices to 71 hotels, resorts and dhabas which have encroached into the eco-sensitive zone of the Park.
The CAG report titled “Performance audit of Kaziranga National Park – Issues and Challenges” revealed how 71 resorts, hotels, dhabas and other commercial ventures such as eco-camps and even residential houses have come up within one to three kilometres of the boundary of the KNP thereby endangering wildlife, which is already at risk of unchecked poaching.
“Issue notice to the encroachers named in the annexure to the (CAG) report to show cause why they should not be made to pay compensation for damaging the environment,” ordered the NGT Bench headed by Justice U.D. Salvi.
The report points at rampant construction and parking on vast stretches of contentious National Highway 37 passing through KNP which figures on the world heritage list and harbours world's largest population of one-horned Rhinoceros.
Interestingly, the Park authorities seem unaware of these illegal commercial ventures on the highland used by animals for shelter during floods.
“Non declaration of the ESZ for such a long period of time had a direct bearing on such activities detrimental to the well being of animals. The dangerous trend, if not checked immediately and permanently could lead to an irreversible impact on conservation and protection of wildlife with the potential threat that in case of a major flood, majority of the internationally acclaimed species - one horned rhinos would be wiped out forever,” the CAG report said. The Bench also noted that the Assam government had failed to utilise funds released towards Kaziranga tiger reserve and directed it to release the same in two weeks.
