Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika confirmed that Kaziranga National Park boundaries are staying put. The government has no plans to shrink or shift the park limits. Instead, officials are adjusting the Eco-Sensitive Zone to better serve local people.
Hazarika took to social media to kill rumors about land loss. He stated, "The proposed exercise seeks to clearly define the Eco-Sensitive Zone and strike a balance between nature conservation and the evolving developmental aspirations of local communities." The adjustments only affect territory outside the park itself.
The current plan sets the Eco-Sensitive Zone between one and three kilometers from the park boundary. This matches existing Supreme Court guidelines. The move aims to clear the way for construction projects. Local residents currently struggle to build homes or access basic healthcare facilities due to existing land restrictions. Indigenous communities in the area have faced these hurdles for too long.
Officials emphasize that the core area remains off-limits. The goal is to keep the ecosystem safe while letting nearby families grow. The government maintains that conservation and development must exist side by side.
Updated at 18th August 2026 at 10:00pm
Tensions flared in Kaliabor this Tuesday as hundreds of locals hit the streets to back the government plan. Protesters marched from Kuthari to Bagori, targeting Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi and MLA Akhil Gogoi. The demonstration followed reports that both politicians want the Eco-Sensitive Zone extended to 10 kilometers. Residents, including members of the Karbi Students Association and locals from Karbi Anglong, rejected that proposal, with some staging semi-nude demonstrations to show their opposition to the larger buffer zone.
Updated at 19th August 2026 at 1:49am
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma weighed in on August 18, slamming the opposition for what he called double-standard politics. Sarma accused politicians who campaign against five-star hotels in Kaziranga of hypocrisy, noting that these same figures often book rooms in those properties when they visit.
Sarma pushed back against claims that the Eco-Sensitive Zone is a total freeze on growth. He pointed out that while the law bars mining and chemical plants, it allows for other regulated activities. He held up Jim Corbett and Gir as examples where tourism and conservation coexist. Taking a jab at his critics, the CM cited the recent public backlash against opposition leaders in Kohora as proof that locals support his government and reject the narratives pushed by his rivals.
Updated at 19th August 2026 at 9:51pm
State BJP president Dilip Saikia jumped into the fray, claiming 239 rhinos were slaughtered under former minister Rakibul Hussain. He labeled the opposition protests a cheap political stunt and warned that the park's rhinos will drive Congress out of the state.
Pijush Hazarika sharpened his attack in Diphu, mocking an unnamed Congress leader with foreign schooling for failing to grasp the technical definition of an Eco-Sensitive Zone. Beyond the park politics, Hazarika rolled out a 400-crore rupee development package for Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong. He promised to push palm oil and makhana farming and pledged to plant five lakh fruit trees annually across the districts to boost local income.
Updated at 20th August 2026 at 1:51pm
Minister Pijush Hazarika is hitting back at critics by digging up 2015 protests when the Congress was in power. Back then, groups including the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and local leaders like Akhil Gogoi fought for a total withdrawal of the Eco-Sensitive Zone proposal instead of pushing for a specific boundary size. Hazarika argues the current outrage is purely for political convenience rather than environmental principles.
State BJP president Dilip Saikia joined the pile-on by dragging up the record of former minister Rakibul Hussain. Saikia claimed 239 rhinos died on the Congress government's watch and used the figure to brush off current opposition protests as a political stunt. He warned that the park's wildlife would drive the party out of the state.
Comments