Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has raised serious concerns over the removal of a gazette notification regarding Kaziranga's animal corridors from the Assam government's website, alleging a cover-up linked to rare earth minerals.
- MP Gaurav Gogoi alleges a 2022 gazette notification on Kaziranga animal corridors was incomplete and subsequently removed from the state portal.
- The Panbari corridor was missing from the online version, coinciding with reports of rare earth element deposits and the sale of a tea estate to a Reliance subsidiary.
- The missing corridor is critical for animals migrating to the Karbi Anglong hills during floods.
Assam Congress president and Member of Parliament Gaurav Gogoi has sparked a political storm by questioning the Assam government's decision to remove a 2022 gazette notification concerning the animal corridors of Kaziranga National Park from its official website. The controversy centers on the missing details of the Panbari Wildlife Corridor, one of nine critical paths used by wildlife.
According to Mr. Gogoi, the full notification spans pages 1,328 to 1,455, yet the version uploaded to the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department's portal stopped abruptly at page 1,426. This omission effectively erased 29 pages of documentation specifically covering the Panbari corridor. The MP expressed deep concern that this "lapse" remained unrectified for four years and was only deleted once public attention was drawn to it.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that this is not merely a clerical error but potentially a strategic omission. The Panbari corridor is located in a region reported to have significant deposits of rare earth elements. Furthermore, the Methoni Tea Estate, which falls within this corridor, was acquired in 2022 by RCP Solutions and Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited. The alignment of the notification's omission with corporate acquisition and mineral interests suggests a potential conflict between conservation and industrial exploitation.
The deliberate omission of critical ecological corridors from public records opens the door for illegal land conversion and industrial encroachment in sensitive biosphere reserves.
The nine identified corridors—Amguri, Bagori, Chirang, Deosur, Haldhibari, Harmati, Hatidandi, Kanchanjuri, and Panbari—serve as vital lifelines linking the rhino-rich Kaziranga plains to the Karbi Anglong hills. These hills provide essential refuge for animals when the park is submerged during annual monsoon floods. The failure to notify and protect these corridors puts thousands of animals at risk of human-wildlife conflict.
Mr. Gogoi further accused the state government of systemic negligence, citing the signing of MoUs for luxury hotels adjacent to the park and the detention of land rights activist Pranab Doley under the National Security Act for opposing such developments. He highlighted that the Supreme Court-constituted Central Empowered Committee has been demanding action on these corridors for years without sufficient government response.
| Feature | Full Gazette Notification | State Portal Version |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pages | Up to page 1,455 | Stopped at page 1,426 |
| Panbari Corridor | Included (Detailed maps/desc) | Omitted (29 pages missing) |
| Status | Official Record | Removed from Website |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why is the Panbari corridor specifically controversial?
It is linked to reports of rare earth minerals and was recently acquired by a Reliance Industries subsidiary, leading to suspicions that its removal from the notification facilitates industrial use.
Q2: What happens to animals when corridors are blocked?
Animals cannot reach the Karbi Anglong hills during floods, leading to increased deaths and higher rates of human-animal conflict in surrounding villages.
