Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says the 10-kilometre buffer around Kaziranga National Park stays in place for now. Confusion swirled following Supreme Court guidance. Sarma set the record straight on August 12 during a press conference. The existing 10-km provision remains the law until the state government submits a formal notification to the Centre.
Sarma warned that keeping a 10-km zone causes real headaches for residents. Major areas like Kaliabor, Dabhaka, Jakhalabandha, and Bokakhat sit in the crosshairs. If the state keeps that wide boundary, these populated zones face significant disruption. The Chief Minister told the public to read the order closely. He said, “The Supreme Court has said that the Eco-Sensitive Zone will be within 1 kilometre. This is not about reducing the existing zone. Until the State Government notifies the Eco-Sensitive Zone, the 10-kilometre provision will continue to apply.”
The process is standard. The Forest Department drafts a proposal. The state government sends it to the Centre. Finally, the National Board for Wildlife reviews the plan. While the court suggests a range between 1 km and 3 km, the 10-km rule fills the gap until the state acts. Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika backed this stance on August 13. He labeled reports of a forced reduction as misleading. Hazarika insists the government is just following court guidelines rather than watering down environmental protections. The recent 1-km notification for Deepor Beel serves as a potential template. For now, the 10-km limit stands.
Updated at 14th August 2026 at 2:00am
Environmentalist Jadav Payeng is pushing back against the state government's plan to seek a 1-km buffer zone. The man known as the Forest Man of India warns that tightening the boundary will choke off vital wildlife migration routes during the annual flood season. When water levels rise, animals trek from the park toward the Karbi Anglong hills. Payeng argues that moving human development within a 1-km radius will inevitably lead to deadly human-wildlife conflict and block these paths.
The legal situation remains tangled. A Gauhati High Court judgment from March 12, 2026, confirmed that the state government had never submitted a draft proposal or final notification for an Eco-Sensitive Zone to the Centre, forcing the continuation of the 10-km default rule. Chief Minister Sarma now intends to submit a scientifically prepared proposal to the Centre within two months.
Payeng insists the park is a national treasure that demands a long-term strategy beyond administrative lines. He says nature holds the ultimate authority in these corridors, noting, "Nature's ways are nature's ways. There is no power greater than nature."
Comments