[Assam] Why is Manas still in danger?

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

        Why is Manas still in danger?
- Unesco advice to improve state of park goes unheeded     A STAFF REPORTER  TELEGRAPH INDIA              Guwahati, Aug. 1: Manas National Park is still on Unesco’s List of World Heritage in Danger because the Assam government has done hardly anything to implement its 2005 recommendations to improve conditions in the sanctuary. 
  The World Heritage Committee’s monitoring mission of 2005 had recommended that the Centre should work with Bhutan to form a trans-boundary property and discuss with its neighbour the release of water from the upstream dam as it causes widespread floods in Lower Assam. The committee said no information has been provided on this aspect. 
  Similarly, there is no information on co-ordination between park staff and the Bodo people on planning and conservation activities, which the mission had recommended. 
  The government is also blank on identifying sources of funds and timely release of money for the park’s management in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling, mechanisms for transferring funds directly to the park through agencies such as the Wildlife Areas Development and Welfare Trust as well as revenue generation. 
  There is also no information on any management plan for invasive species and defining roles and expectations of all relevant stakeholders in relation to future community development activities. 
          The committee’s report, released only a few days ago, found many inconsistencies in the report tabled at the Christchurch meeting by the government on Manas National Park. For instance, it found the discrepancy in the elephant population reports for 2006 and 2007. 
  The 2006 report noted an increase from 567 to 658, whereas the 2007 report indicated a decline from 567 to 247. “This inconsistency should be clarified,” it said. 
  On accelerating efforts to re-build the park infrastructure, the government reported good progress in re-building park infrastructure with 29 camps set up for forest guards. 
  Volunteers and the forest department are also involved in the ongoing activities to clear roads and trails. “The report did not include new information on communication within the park, particularly re-building of bridges and culverts,” the committee said. 
  On vacancies at the park, the government had replied that interviews were under way to fill up the posts. There is a current shortfall of 140 positions out of 445 sanctioned posts. 
  On the population of swamp deer, the committee said there is no data showing the presence of swamp deer, which therefore, appears to have become locally extinct. 
  The committee also made a note of the fact that the information on bird population and habitat was very limited. 
  The committee has asked the Centre to provide an updated report on Manas National Park by February 1, 2008 on the state of conservation of the park and the progress in addressing the corrective measures for examination by the committee at its 32nd session next year.

       
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