The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has registered a suo moto case over the proposed construction of luxury hotels in and around Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), the world’s largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhino. This came two days after the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) signed a memorandum of understanding with Tata Group companies Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited and Indian Hotels Company Limited in chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran’s presence on Saturday to set up a five-star hotel in Hathikuli tea garden near Kaziranga for ₹ 120 crore. Another five-star property was reportedly being set up at Ingle Pothar near Kaziranga.
Residents, farmers, and rights groups have been opposing the proposed construction of hotels arguing they would lead to displacement of people and harm the region’s flora and fauna. The NGT has listed the case registered on Monday for a hearing on Wednesday. A rights group claimed nearly 60 bighas (20 acres) of public land used by 45 families for cultivation and grazing had been converted and transferred for a five-star property at Ingle Pothar.
“The entire exercise was carried out violating several norms. No public hearing was done with the 45 affected families..
.environmental and social impact assessment studies were also not done,” said Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee president Pranab Doley in Guwahati last week..
