Kaziranga Villagers Back Site-Specific Eco-Sensitive Zone Plan, Cite Livelihood Concerns
Residents living near Kaziranga National Park are supporting a government proposal to implement a site-specific Eco-Sensitive Zone rather than a blanket 10-km restriction. Locals argue that a smaller zone is necessary to balance wildlife conservation with local development and livelihood needs.
Why it matters
This reflects the ongoing tension between environmental conservation policies and the economic rights of indigenous and local communities.
The debate over the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park has reached the villages outside the park, with some residents backing the Assam government's proposal for a site-specific zone instead of a blanket 10-km boundary.People living in villages around Kaziranga told NDTV that a uniform 10-km restriction could affect construction, land use, small businesses and other activities that are part of everyday life in the area.The government's proposal is to decide the extent of the ESZ according to the situation in different parts of the Kaziranga landscape.Madhur Mohanta, a resident of Uthori village, said local people want development in their villages without compromising the protection of the national park."We welcome the government's decision to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga from 10 kilometres to 1 kilometre.
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