The prolonged flood situation in Manas – contributing towards the changes in ecosyste

[Samrat Sarkar]

Manas Tiger Reserve is 2837.31 square kms [Core area 526.22 sq. kms. and buffer area 2310.88 sq. kms] and includes four different tribal people dominated districts, namely Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa in the south-west and Udalguri in the east. The whole area has been demarketed as Important birding area, Elephant reserve, Tiger reserve, Biosphere reserve and Natural World Heritage Site. Many different types of tribes live in this region namely, Bodo, Assomia, Rava, Koch-Rajbangshi, Garo, Bengali, Saontal etc, among which the Bodos constitute the majority. The BTAD[ Bodoland Territorial Area District] has been formed comprising these four districts in the year 2003 and are governed by the BTC[Bodoland Territorial Council] From the eighties the Bodos have been engaged in terrorist activities in favour of their campaign for a separate Bodoland. Very recently, many such separatists have renounced terrorism and have joined the mainstream society. They are now in control of the BTC since many years and are now a part of the present government of Assam.But the NDFB(S) [National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit)]Assam are now still engaged in armed and rebellious activities.This political tussle is a long chapter in the history of Assam and has many bloody activities which had claimed many innocent lives in the past. Still, in spite of all these horrible activities of loss of life and bloodshed peace and calmness of this unparallely beautiful and vast forest range have remained disturbed. There are three ranges of the Manas National Park in the Manas Tiger Reserve. Its total area is about 500 sq. km. Panbari in the west, Bhuinapara in the east and Bansbari is in between them. In the north spans the vast hilly area comprising the “Royal Manas” of Bhutan. Safari inside the Panbari range is practically impossible. The NDFB[S] terrorists are still very much active inside it. But Bansbari and Bhuinapara range are open for tourist.
The river Beki, the lifeline of the Manas NTR, is flowing along the western fringe of the Bansbari Range. The river Beki and the river Hakua are two tributaries of the main Manas river. The river Mans has separated the Bansbari Range from the “Royal Manas Rnage” of Bhutan. But the River Beki has gradually been shifting towards the Bansbari Range due to various man-made and natural causes. The banks of the National Park are eroding every year and in the past 15 years the river has shifted about four kilometers in towards the east, towards Bansbari Range. This yearly shifting of the river is still continuing in full swing. And this year the situation is alarming. A part of the road that ran parallel to the river and leads to Latajhar has been fully engulfed by the river in the very beginning of the monsoon.