Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended a proposal to shrink the eco-sensitive zone around Kaziranga National Park, home to the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, from 10 km to 1 km, saying it aligns with Supreme Court guidelines. The state plans to send the proposal to the Union government within two months to allow development, including a stadium.
Sarma said the 10 km figure applies only by 'default' until the state formally notifies a smaller zone, after which it would drop to 1 km as he says the court specified. The Supreme Court's 2022 order actually set a minimum of 1 km around protected areas, then in 2023 modified that to be 'protected area-specific' rather than uniform, while still barring mining within 1 km.
Environmentalists have criticized the shrinking zone, noting rhinos, elephants and deer leave the park during annual floods and that wildlife corridors to the Karbi Anglong Hills extend beyond the proposed 1 km limit, raising concerns about increased human-wildlife conflict.
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