|
View
Point
Erosion
to extinction
Belinda Wright
Situated
on the flood plains of the Brahmaputra, Kaziranga National
Park has suffered considerable loss of land due to riverbank
erosion along its northern boundary. Of its original 42,996
ha at the time it was notified as a National Park, 5000
ha along the bank of the Brahmaputra river have been lost
to erosion. To compensate for these losses, the Government
of Assam gave Preliminary Notification for six proposed
Additions to the Park in 1984 and 1985.
These
Additions include increased habitat for Kaziranga’s mega
herbivores, encompassing the last remaining tract of habitation,
the western boundary and newly formed riverine islands
of the Brahmaputra on Kaziranga’s northern boundary. On
the southern boundary, where human habitation and agricultural
activities have proliferated in recent years, the Additions
include the few remaining corridors to the Karbi Anglong
Hills. However, these Additions face an uncertain future
due to continuous litigation by encroachers.
Of
the six additions, the First, Fourth and Sixth Additions
have been notified by publication in the Assam Gazette.
The remaining three have received only preliminary notifications.
It is imperative for the future of Kaziranga that all
these Additions are secured, legalized and handed over
to the Park Management as soon as possible.
Kaziranga
National Park and its Additions deserve the highest level
of legal protection, because its spectacular and unique
biodiversity gives it considerable scientific and heritage
value.
BELINDA
WRIGHT
| 
