Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has clarified that the default 10-kilometer buffer zone surrounding the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve will remain strictly in force until the state government formally notifies a customised Eco-Sensitive Zone. Addressing widespread public debate and misconceptions following a recent Supreme Court order, the Chief Minister emphasised that the court’s reference to a minimum one-kilometer ESZ does not mean the existing 10-km provision has been automatically scrapped. The default 10-km protection limits will stay active until a state-specific proposal is officially gazetted.
The state government’s movement toward proposing a narrower ESZ is driven primarily by human settlement and regional socio-economic considerations. Maintaining a uniform 10-km ESZ around Kaziranga directly impacts several heavily populated townships and commercial hubs, including Bokakhat, Kaliabor, Jakhalabandha and Doboka. Under strict ESZ guidelines, commercial infrastructure, public development projects and localised economic activities face severe regulatory restrictions, which Chief Minister Sarma noted creates significant daily hardship and stifles growth for tens of thousands of local residents.
At the same time, the prospect of narrowing the buffer zone has drawn intense scrutiny from environmentalists and wildlife conservationists across the region. Conservation experts argue that Kaziranga’s unique flood ecology depends heavily on wide, uninterrupted eco-sensitive buffer zones and migratory corridors. During annual monsoon flooding, large mammals such as one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants and deer must migrate south toward the higher terrain of the Karbi Anglong hills. Experts warn that shrinking the regulated zone to one kilometer could encourage commercial construction, obstruct crucial wildlife corridors and worsen human-wildlife conflict. To address these concerns while providing clarity, CM Sarma urged the public and key stakeholders to carefully review the court’s judgment rather than jumping to conclusions. The process of transitioning to a finalised ESZ requires the Assam Forest Department to submit a detailed spatial draft to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Once the draft undergoes public feedback, technical reviews and central approval, a formal notification will be issued. Until that entire regulatory process is finalised, the existing 10-kilometer buffer zone remains fully legally binding around Kaziranga.
Distipanna Bhuyan