Now Reading: HC orders status quo in Manas encroachment case
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HC orders status quo in Manas encroachment case
HC orders status quo in Manas encroachment case
The Gauhati High Court has directed Assam and the Bodoland Territorial Council to prevent fresh encroachment in the 2,837 sq. km. Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve. The order, passed on July…
The Story in Brief
The Gauhati High Court has directed Assam and the Bodoland Territorial Council to prevent fresh encroachment in the 2,837 sq. km. Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve. The order, passed on July 31, will remain in force until the next hearing of a public interest litigation filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury. Notices were issued to the Union Environment Ministry, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the reserve’s field director.
The Hindu reports that the petition alleges encroachment in the reserve’s core area, including 3,558.32 bighas used by the Kokilabari Seed Farm. A 2025 letter cited in the petition recorded 7,520 people in 1,522 structures occupying 14,545.62 bighas in two ranges. The next hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2026. Talks over the seed farm are continuing.
The Indian Opinion
The loudest claims will either portray every person living on the land as a criminal or treat conservation rules as an excuse to ignore local livelihoods. Neither is adequate. Authorities must distinguish long-term unauthorised cultivation from individual households, verify boundaries and provide a lawful hearing before eviction. The immediate test is whether Assam and the BTC produce a clear, public action plan before October 7, including the status of the 9.3 sq. km. core habitat sought for return.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
