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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\nGUWAHATI: The Assam forest department, which has sought around Rs 12 crore from the Centre to construct artificial highlands at the world heritage site under the Southern Boundary Road-Cum-Highland Management Plan, and also at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, will be building the structures in such a manner so as not to hamper the flow of water into the park.
Senior officials at the park are not in favour of converting wetlands into highlands, but the government feels this is the only way the wildlife can be saved as the frequency of high floods has increased in recent years.
Kaziranga lost 18 rhinos this season, 12 due to drowning. Ravindra Sharma, research officer at KNP, said, \u201cThe Brahmaputra water system provides water to the park. Any attempt to obstruct the flow of water, would not be welcome.\u201d
Under the new project, a stretch of 32-km road at Kaziranga, would be converted into highlands. Park director P Sivakumar said, \u201cHighlands are not a permanent solution, but a species-specific approach to the problem since rhinos and buffalos want to be in the park during the monsoon season. Considering the growing frequency of high floods now, if we cannot clear the corridors and also fail to provide other options for shelter, casualty would increase.\u201d
Earlier, animals would migrate to the adjoining Karbi Anglong hills to escape the flood fury. But construction of lodging facilities for tourists and stone quarries along the Karbi Anglong border areas in the southern part of Kaziranga has blocked many of the animal corridors. Six of the nine corridors are disputed as settlements have sprung up in the fringe areas often leading to confrontations between the park authorities and locals. The authorities want to avoid such confrontations for the peaceful existence of wildlife.
\u201cWe presently have 111 highlands which were not built scientifically. Most of them hindered the flow of water leading to concerns of siltation in the wetlands,\u201d said Sharma.
He added that 33 new highlands have been built along the Mora Difalu (river) covering 0.22 hectares without obstructing the flow of water. \u201cThese are constructed in the east to west direction. During high floods, the flow of water is from the east to west and so the flow of water does not get hindered,\u201d said Sharma.
Large stretches of elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical forests make Kaziranga a tourists\u2019 paradise. \u201cThe floods help renew growth every year and this helps wildlife,\u201d said Kaziranga DFO Ramesh Gogoi.
Unlike hog deer, which move to the Karbi Anglong hillside after the submergence of their habitats in the park during floods, rhinos and buffalos stay on at the park. \u201cGiving shelter to them is a necessity,\u201d Sivakumar said.
There are over 2,400 rhinos and 3,000 buffaloes, and the existing 33 highlands are not enough to accommodate them. \u201cIf such a large number of animals are kept in a proportionately smaller shelter area, it could lead to infighting,\u201d he said.
Sivakumar added that despite the recurrence of high floods, rhino casualty has come down since 2017 because of the construction of the highlands. \u201cIt\u2019s a successful model in Kaziranga,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n