New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) To address increasing land erosion caused by the Brahmaputra river in the fragile ecosystem of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, the Central wildlife panel has approved the diversion of a section of forest land from the UNESCO World Heritage site to implement anti-erosion measures.
The bio-diversity hotspot is home to iconic species such as tigers, elephants, swamp deer, and the one-horned rhinoceros to name a few.
The proposal received nod from the Standing Committee on National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in its meeting in May with conditions to ensure ecological safeguards and minimise disruption to wildlife at the site.
The diversion of 19.9554 hectares of forest area of the protected park and tiger reserve will be used for implementing anti-erosion interventions including using of geo-mattresses, geo-bags, and pre-stressed cement concrete porcupines to be undertaken along the left bank of the Brahmaputra River.
The proposal has already got the nod from the State Chief Wildlife Warden, the State Board for Wildlife and the State Government, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), according to the minutes of the meeting. The NBWL is the highest advisory body on wildlife conservation in the country.
The criteria to execute the project included minimal tree felling and no night-time construction, completion within one working season, maintenance of animal corridors and safe dispersal paths for tigers and elephants. with recommendations to ensure ecological safeguards and minimise disruption to wildlife.
The authorities have also been asked to ensure full ecological restoration of impacted areas using native vegetation
The Unesco World Heritage Site in the India’s Northeast region is internationally recognised for its rich biodiversity and as a vital corridor for wildlife movement. With climate change and river dynamics accelerating erosion, timely action is necessary to preserve this ecological treasure.
Authorities reaffirmed that the project will be carried out with utmost care for wildlife conservation, ensuring the uninterrupted movement of animals and preserving the natural hydrology of the landscape.
According to scientists, the river Brahmaputra has a tendency to shift southward due to various geo-tectonic and seismic instabilities of the region.
Hence, bank erosion has been a serious problem, which is caused mainly by the seismic instability, stream bed rise-up, continuous sedimentation; Intense rainfall, etc.
And eventually the phenomenon results into the loss of large tracts of fertile agricultural lands on both the banks of the river Brahmaputra in the study area, said the scientists.
UNI AJ RN