The State Government has told the NGT that the proposal for declaring the eco-sensitive zone has been submitted and is pending before the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The National Green Tribunal directed the Secretary, Department of Environment & Forest, Government of Assam & Director, Kaziranga National Park to be present on the next date of hearing and explain the steps taken / to be taken with regard to the eco-sensitive zone around Kaziranga National Park.
According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) 2014 report on Kaziranga National Park, some 29 resorts and dhabas are functioning within the Bokakhat circle alone, just two to three kilometre from the park boundary. As per the report, even government land has been used for the construction of resorts.
The CAG report also stated that 71 dhabas, resorts and other such commercial establishments were operational in the Kaliabor circle, out of which 62 were within one kilometer distance from the park boundary, without having procured any No Objection Certificates from the park authorities.
Just recently, in a landmark judgement, Guwahati High Court in PIL No. 66/2012 vide order dated July 15, 2015, ordered the evacuation of all encroachment in Deosur and Bandardubi areas, and directed that the land be handed over to the Kaziranga National Park authorities.
