Eco watch | Kaziranga sanctuary: Rhinos may lose buffer

Assam has proposed to the Union government that Kaziranga National Park’s Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) be cut from a default 10 km to 1 km, reviving a debate on forest habitat versus the demands of urban development. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma argued in early August that the current 10 km limit was never formally notified and applied only by default, and that the state wants a “scientifically determined” 1 km zone that clears the way for projects like a stadium in Bokakhat. Days later, Sarma pushed back on criticism saying, “I see a lot of misinformation on Kaziranga’s ESZ. Let’s be clear...the park area remains unchanged.”