Guwahati, Aug 18 (IANS) Hundreds of residents living around Assam’s Kaziranga National Park took to the streets in Kaliabor on Tuesday, backing the state government’s proposal to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the national park from the default 10-km limit to one km in the proposed areas.

The protesters took out a march from Kuthari to Bagori, carrying placards and raising slogans against Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi and Raijor Dal Chief Akhil Gogoi over their reported opposition to the proposed reduction in the ESZ.

The demonstration came amid a political debate over the extent of the ESZ around Kaziranga, with Gaurav Gogoi reportedly saying that the protected zone should extend up to 10 km from the national park.

The protesters said a wider ESZ would adversely affect people living in villages and settlements surrounding Kaziranga and could impose restrictions on their homes, livelihoods, businesses and other economic activities.

Members of the Karbi Students’ Association and residents from Karbi Anglong also participated in the demonstration, extending support to the demand for a one-km ESZ.

Some protesters also staged a semi-nude demonstration as part of the protest against the demand for extending the ESZ to 10 km.

The protesters said that conservation of Kaziranga’s rich biodiversity was important but said the concerns and interests of local communities living around the national park could not be ignored.

They added that people residing in the vicinity of Kaziranga have been living and carrying out economic activities in the area for decades and that any decision on the ESZ should take into account their rights and livelihoods.

The issue has gained political prominence after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised the Congress over its opposition to the proposed reduction.

Sarma had said a blanket 10-km ESZ from Bokakhat to Kaliabor could have serious implications for settlements, businesses and major economic establishments in the region.

He had specifically cited the Numaligarh Refinery and settlements in Bokakhat and Kaliabor while saying that the proposed limits should be determined in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions.

The latest protest highlighted the growing local support for a narrower ESZ and added another dimension to the ongoing political debate over balancing wildlife conservation with the interests of communities living around Kaziranga.

–IANS

tdr/khz