Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Police arrested indigenous rights activist Pranab Doley on July 13. Five more people were taken into custody soon after. The arrests ignited a firestorm over a 30-acre, five-star Hyatt hotel slated for Hathikhuli Inglay Pothar. Assam signed an MoU with the hotel chain on September 23, 2023. The site sits near the Kohora Central Range of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Critics claim the project obstructs elephant migration routes. During floods, wildlife relies on these paths to reach the Karbi Anglong Hills. More than 40 tea-tribe farming families face eviction from this land. These residents have cultivated the soil for generations. Critics label such developments as "state-sanctioned habitat theft."
Construction in recognized wildlife corridors remains banned under an April 2019 Supreme Court order. The park currently struggles with unchecked hospitality expansion near its Bagori and Kohora ranges. Experts argue that private development jeopardizes the park's fragile ecosystem and endangered species. The project could also threaten the site's World Heritage status.
Government officials face calls to relocate the resort. Suitable alternatives exist in towns like Tezpur, Biswanath, Bokakhat, or Nagaon district. Economic progress requires balance. India currently ranks 176th out of 177 countries in the Global Environmental Performance Index. The state must now choose between luxury expansion and environmental survival.
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