Anger in Assam as Kaziranga National Park, others put up for adoption

Guwahati: The Centre’s decision to handover Kaziranga National Park and three historical monuments located in upper Assam’s Sivasagar district to a private firm for their maintenance has triggered a massive protest cross the state.

Several civil society groups and wildlife activists on Wednesday staged demonstration outside these monuments and shouted slogan against the government. Accusing the government of auctioning their historical monuments, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity threatened that it would oppose any move by the government to hand over these sites to a private entity. Wildlife activists feared that such move would be disastrous for the state’s wildlife.

The Central government has identified at least three historical monuments and the Kaziranga National Park of Assam for handing over to private sector for its maintenance under a “Monument Mitra” scheme in four phases. The scheme has been prepared by the Central government for handing over the important historic monuments and reserved forests, wildlife sanctuaries, etc., to private-public sector firms for their maintenance.

The three historical monuments which are proposed to be handed over to a private firm are the 18th century Amphitheatre Rang Ghar, the Ahom royal palace Kareng Ghar and the Ahomera Shiva temple Shiva Doul. The JTI Group has been named as the Monument Mitra for the Kaziranga National Park and the Sivasagar monuments stated a Central government notification.

“We have expressed our interest to adopt these sites but it is yet to be awarded to us,” managing director of JTI Group, Ashish Phukan, said.