The Assam government has recently made an announcement about the elevation of Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to National Park status. This decision follows shortly after the news that the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) had provided conditional approval for a coal mining project by Coal India Limited (CIL) within the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.
The Significance of National Park Status
Being granted National Park status will substantially increase the importance of Dehing Patkai, which had its first proposal to achieve this designation back in 1995. The area was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 2004. The new designation will also mean stricter regulations and oversight for Dehing Patkai.
Description of Dehing Patkai
Located within the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, which spans the coal and oil-rich districts of Upper Assam including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, this wildlife sanctuary is also known as the Jeypore Rainforest. The sanctuary sits at the foot of the Patkai hill and is traversed by the Dehing river. Nearby are the oldest refinery of Asia in Digboi and ‘open cast’ coal mining at Lido.
Flora and Fauna of Dehing Patkai
The sanctuary is home to unique fauna such as the Chinese pangolin, flying fox, wild pig, sambar, barking deer, gaur, serow and Malayan giant squirrels. Uniquely, it is the only sanctuary in India to house seven different species of wild cats. It also hosts the Assamese macaque, a primate currently in the red list of Near Threatened species. Dehing Patkai is renowned for its highest concentration of the rare endangered White Winged Wood Duck. It is also renowned for its lush green and evergreen flora.
Sixth National Park in Assam
After the upgrade, Dehing Patkai will join the ranks of the other five national parks in Assam — Kaziranga, Nameri, Manas, Dibru-Saikhowa and Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park.
A Comparison between National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries
National parks are areas designated by the government for conserving wildlife and biodiversity due to their natural, cultural and historical significance. They have restrictions on visitation and activities. On the other hand, wildlife sanctuaries offer protection to wild animals and are less restricted. They do not require an official permission for visitation. Boundaries of national parks are set by legislation, while those of wildlife sanctuaries are not definitive. Activities within national parks are heavily regulated, while they are more permissible in wildlife sanctuaries. According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), national parks are categorized as Category II of protected areas, whereas wildlife sanctuaries fall under Category IV. Most national parks start as wildlife sanctuaries before being upgraded. Once a sanctuary is given national park status, it cannot be reversed. Both allow tourism.