In news
The authorities in Assam’s Golaghat and Nagaon districts have begun probing cases of clearance of forest land, digging and construction activities on at least three animal corridors within the ecosensitive zone of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve
Highlights
- These two districts share large swathes of the 1,300-sq. km. tiger reserve that has nine identified animal corridors.
- Seven of these — Amguri, Bagori, Chirang, Deosur, Harmati, Hatidandi and Kanchanjuri — are in Nagaon district while Haldibari and Panbari corridors are in Golaghat district.
Importance
- These corridors are crucial for the rhinos, elephants, tigers, deer and other animals that escape a flooded Kaziranga during the monsoon months for the safety of the hills of Karbi Anglong district beyond the highway skirting the southern boundary of the tiger reserve.
Issue
- A patch of forest land has been cleared and a section of a tea plantation dug up apparently for a water reservoir.
- This has been happening over the past few days in plain view beside the highway.
- The activities are barely 50 metres from where a structure linked to the local MLA came up a year ago.
SC order
- In April, 2019, Supreme Court acted upon an application by animal activist Rohit Choudhury.
- It had “restrained” all mining activities along the southern boundary of KNPTR and in the entire catchment area of rivers/streams and rivulets originating in Karbi Anglong hill ranges and flowing into the park.
- No new construction shall be permitted on private lands which form part of the nine identified animal corridors,” the order stated.
Source: The Hindu
