A fresh political confrontation has emerged in Assam over the proposed changes to the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding Kaziranga National Park, with local organizations staging demonstrations against Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi. Large-scale protests were reported at Kuthuri in Kaliabor, where members of the Karbi Students’ Association, along with residents and other local groups, voiced strong opposition to Gogoi’s position on the proposed reduction of the ESZ.
The protesters criticized the Congress leader for objecting to the State Government’s proposal to modify the existing 10-kilometre ESZ radius around Kaziranga. Demonstrators argued that the government’s proposal was aimed at addressing the concerns of communities living near the national park while facilitating development in the region. Raising slogans against Gogoi, the protesters accused him and the Congress party of overlooking the interests and longstanding demands of people residing around Kaziranga.
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The agitation comes after Gogoi and other Congress leaders held a protest near Kaziranga against the proposed relaxation of the ESZ restrictions. The protesters at Kuthuri, however, maintained that the State Government’s position was consistent with directions and legal considerations laid down by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the Takam Mising Porin Kébang (TMPK), a prominent Mising student organization, has extended its support to Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s proposal to reduce the ESZ from 10 kilometres to one kilometre. During a press conference in Bokakhat, TMPK representatives said that the restriction could ideally be reduced even further, suggesting a zero-distance provision in areas where appropriate.
The organization said that reducing the ESZ has been a long-pending demand among people living in Bokakhat, Kaziranga and Kaliabor. TMPK representatives also highlighted that several student leaders have faced legal cases since 2019 in connection with protests against the restrictions.
According to TMPK, the State Government’s submission before the Supreme Court could provide relief to communities situated around Kaziranga. The organization also strongly criticized the Congress-led protests, maintaining that local residents’ concerns should receive greater consideration in the ongoing debate over environmental regulations and regional development.
