The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated a suo motu case regarding the construction of luxury hotels in and around Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam.
The Principal Bench of the NGT, based in New Delhi, registered the case under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, following media reports on the matter.
According to its official website, the tribunal has not yet scheduled a date for the case hearing.
This development comes shortly after the Assam government signed an agreement with the Tata Group to build a five-star hotel near the UNESCO World Heritage site. The UNESCO website describes KNP as one of the last areas in eastern India relatively undisturbed by human presence, home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as tigers, elephants, panthers, bears, and thousands of birds.
On Saturday (August 3), the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amalgamated Plantations Pvt Ltd (APPL) and Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), both subsidiaries of the Tata Group, to develop the luxury property at a cost of Rs 120 crore. The MoU includes plans for a resort and spa near the core area of the National Park.
Additionally, an international hotel chain, Hyatt, is also developing a five-star hotel near the KNP. On September 23 of the previous year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the ATDC would soon sign an agreement with the Hyatt Group to create a 5-star resort with 100-120 rooms, investing Rs 100 crore next to the KNP.
In July, the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee alleged that a significant portion of land near the park has been “illegally” converted and handed over to the multinational hospitality group for constructing a five-star hotel without adhering to due regulations.
The committee claimed that the process violated several norms, including the lack of a public hearing with the affected 45 families and the absence of Environmental Impact Assessment and Social Impact Assessment.
