Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the southern bank of Brahmaputra in Assam. It is known to have the highest concentration of one-horned rhinoceros. It is often referred to as ‘Mini Kaziranga’ because of similarities with regards to the landscape and fauna. In the annual bird survey held in 2022, this sanctuary was found to host 58 species of waterfowls. This is lesser than the previous year’s record of 64 species.

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has put a halt to the Assam state government’s decision to withdraw the notification designating Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary as a protected area. On March 13th, 2024, a two-judge bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta ordered an immediate freeze on any further steps by the state to de-notify the sanctuary, which is a prime habitat for the endangered one-horned rhinoceros.

The court’s intervention came in response to a petition filed challenging the Assam cabinet’s March 10th resolution to de-notify Pobitora, 26 years after it was first notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 1998. The petitioners argued that the state government’s unilateral move to withdraw protected status from the sanctuary without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife was illegal and jeopardized conservation efforts.

Assam Cites Villagers’ Rights

In its petition before the Supreme Court seeking relief from having to demarcate the sanctuary’s boundaries and remove encroachments, the Assam government contended that the original 1998 notification was irregular as it was issued without cabinet approval. The state further claimed that the rights of people residing in the area before 1998, especially those from marginalized communities, were not fully settled before Pobitora was notified.
However, the Supreme Court bench was unmoved by these arguments. It observed that while the rights of local populations are indeed important, they cannot override the need to protect critical wildlife habitats and endangered species like the rhino. Any withdrawal of protected status must follow due process and meet the standards set under wildlife laws, the court affirmed.

Unprecedented Move

Environmental activists have termed the Assam government’s move to de-notify Pobitora as unprecedented and deeply disturbing. They point out that this is the first known instance in India of a state seeking to withdraw protected status from a wildlife sanctuary on its own, without the approval of central authorities.
Conservation groups argue that if allowed to stand, Assam’s decision would set a dangerous precedent that could be used to justify rolling back protections for other critical wildlife habitats across the country. Many have also expressed skepticism about the intentions behind the move, alleging that commercial and political interests linked to land and resource use in the area may be driving the push for de-notification.

Outsized Importance for Rhino Conservation

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, though small in size at just 38.8 square kilometers, punches above its weight in terms of its importance for rhino conservation. With over 100 one-horned rhinos as per the last census in 2022, it boasts the highest density of the species anywhere on earth.
The sanctuary’s resemblance to the larger and more well-known Kaziranga National Park in terms of terrain and biodiversity has earned it the moniker of “Mini Kaziranga”. Apart from rhinos, it harbors significant populations of other threatened species like wild water buffalo, leopards, and hispid hare.

Category: Environment Current Affairs