Context: Recently, the Assam government decided to de-notify the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS), due to improper boundary demarcation and the pending transfer of government-owned khas land to the Forest Department.

Background

• Environment activists says the decision, taken 26 years after the Assam Forest Department notified Pobitora as a wildlife sanctuary on March 17, 1998, is the first of its kind for any protected area in the country.

• The Supreme Court has intervened to halt the Assam government’s attempt to withdraw a notification constituting the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, home to a significant population of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceroses. 

Issues

• Unilateral notification: The Forest Department’s issuance of the sanctuary notification in 1998 without consulting other relevant departments or stakeholders has sparked controversy over procedural irregularities and lack of consensus.

• Rights of forest dwellers: The withdrawal of the sanctuary notification without settling the rights of marginalized communities residing in the area raises questions about the protection of their livelihoods and traditional rights.

• Conservation implications: Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary serves as a crucial habitat for the endangered Greater One-Horned Rhinoceroses, and any alteration in its status could jeopardize conservation efforts and biodiversity.

• Legal clarity: The legality of the government’s decision to withdraw the sanctuary notification and its implications for wildlife protection and forest governance needs to be examined in light of existing laws and court directives.

Significance

• Wildlife conservation: The Supreme Court’s intervention underscores the importance of upholding sanctuary notifications to safeguard endangered species and their habitats, contributing to biodiversity conservation.

• Protection of forest dwellers’ rights: The court’s directive to ensure that forest dwellers’ rights are not infringed upon during decision-making processes highlights the need for equitable and inclusive conservation policies.

• Legal precedent: The case sets a legal precedent regarding the withdrawal of sanctuary notifications and the process of consultation and decision-making in matters concerning environmental conservation and forest governance.

• Balancing interests: The court’s emphasis on protecting both wildlife habitats and the rights of forest dwellers reflects the necessity of balancing conservation objectives with socio-economic considerations.

About the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS)

• Located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra in Assam, PWS was established in 1998 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and is affectionately nicknamed 'Mini Kaziranga' because of its similar landscape and wildlife.

• The sanctuary encompasses the Rajamayong and Pobitora Reserve Forests, and as part of the Indian Rhinoceros Vision 2020 (IRV), 8 Rhinos were relocated to Manas National Park to help spread their population.

• PWS's terrain consists of flat flood plains and a hillock (Raja Mayong), with habitats including alluvial lowlands, marshland, and grassland.

• The Grasslands of Pobitora offer sightings of the Greater One Horned Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Monitor Lizard, Wild Boar, etc.

• Its biodiversity is rich, featuring flora such as Cynodon dactylon and Phragmites karka, and fauna including wild buffaloes, leopards, and barking deer, among others. It also serves as an Important Bird Area, sheltering over 2000 migratory birds and various reptiles.