Manas National Park: The High-Stakes Battle Between Conservation and Encroachment in Northeast India

Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, where the Brahmaputra River carves a path through Assam, lies one of the most ecologically significant landscapes on the planet: Manas National Park. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Project Tiger Reserve, Manas is not just a sanctuary for Bengal tigers, pygmy hogs, and clouded leopards—it is a living laboratory of biodiversity and a critical ecological corridor connecting Bhutan and India. Yet, beneath its lush canopies and across its grasslands, a quieter, more insidious crisis is unfolding—one of land encroachment, legal ambiguity, and the fragile balance between conservation and human development.

Recent judicial intervention by the Gauhati High Court has thrust Manas into the national spotlight, not as a symbol of pristine wilderness, but as a battleground where legal mandates collide with ground realities. The court’s ruling—triggered by a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by local activist Rohit Choudhury—has ignited a debate that transcends Assam’s borders, touching upon India’s broader struggle to reconcile environmental protection with socio-economic pressures in the northeastern region. This is not merely a legal dispute; it is a microcosm of the existential challenges facing India’s protected areas in an era of rapid development and shifting governance.

The Ecological Imperative: Why Manas Matters More Than Ever

Manas National Park spans over 950 square kilometers across the districts of Chirang, Bongaigaon, and Kamrup in western Assam. It is part of the larger Manas Tiger Reserve and a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site in both natural and mixed categories. Its significance lies not only in its species richness—home to over 60 mammal species, 450 bird species, and countless flora—but in its role as a transboundary conservation unit. The park connects with Bhutan’s Royal Manas National Park, forming one of the largest protected ecological corridors in South Asia.

The ecological value of Manas is amplified by its hydrological role. The park lies within the Brahmaputra basin, a region highly vulnerable to climate change. Forests like Manas act as natural sponges, regulating water flow, preventing soil erosion, and mitigating flood risks in downstream Assam—a state that has borne the brunt of catastrophic floods in 2017, 2019, and 2022, displacing millions. The loss of forest cover due to encroachment can exacerbate these disasters, turning a conservation crisis into a humanitarian one.

Moreover, Manas is a keystone in India’s tiger conservation strategy. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Manas is one of the most successful tiger recovery zones in the country. After being devastated by insurgency and poaching in the 1990s, the park saw a resurgence in tiger populations, reaching an estimated 48 tigers in 2022, up from just 10 in 2000. This recovery is a testament to decades of conservation effort, community involvement, and international cooperation—efforts now threatened by the creeping advance of human settlements and agricultural plots.

The Legal Battle: From PIL to Courtroom Drama

The current legal saga began not in a courtroom, but in the villages surrounding Manas. Rohit Choudhury, a resident of Bokakhat in Golaghat district, filed a PIL in the Gauhati High Court in 2025, citing widespread encroachments within the park’s notified boundaries. His petition specifically highlighted the Panbari and Betbari areas, where unauthorized settlements and agricultural activities had escalated in recent years. The most contentious case involves the Kokilabari Seed Farm, an agricultural operation allegedly functioning within the park’s core zone under the administrative control of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

The PIL argued that these encroachments violate the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), the Forest Rights Act (2006), and India’s commitments under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The petitioner contended that such activities fragment habitats, disrupt wildlife corridors, and contravene the park’s legal status as a protected area. The Gauhati High Court, known for its proactive stance on environmental issues, took cognizance of the matter and issued a landmark order on October 7, 2026, directing immediate action against encroachers and summoning multiple stakeholders, including the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Assam Forest Department, and the BTC.

The court’s order was not just procedural—it was transformative. It mandated the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to identify and remove illegal occupants, directed satellite imagery analysis to map encroachments, and ordered the state government to submit a comprehensive report within 60 days. This ruling has set a precedent in northeastern India, where forest rights and conservation often clash due to overlapping jurisdictions and competing claims.

The Human Dimension: Tribal Rights, Livelihoods, and the Shadow of Development

At the heart of the Manas controversy lies a fundamental tension: the rights of indigenous communities versus the imperatives of ecological conservation. The Bodo community, the dominant tribal group in the region, has long inhabited areas adjacent to Manas. Many Bodo groups have historically relied on forest resources for livelihoods, including shifting cultivation (jhum), collection of non-timber forest products, and small-scale agriculture.

However, the current wave of encroachments is not driven by traditional subsistence practices—it is fueled by larger economic forces. Land in Assam is scarce, and real estate demand near urban centers like Barpeta and Nalbari has surged. Encroachers—often backed by local elites or political networks—clear forest patches to establish tea gardens, paddy fields, or even resorts. The Kokilabari Seed Farm, for instance, is alleged to be cultivating high-value crops on land that falls within the park’s buffer zone, exploiting legal ambiguities in land records.

According to a 2024 report by the Assam Forest Department, over 1,200 hectares of forest land across the state have been encroached upon in the past decade, with Manas accounting for nearly 15% of the total. These figures, though staggering, likely underrepresent the true scale, as many encroachments are informal and undocumented.

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, was designed to address such conflicts by recognizing the rights of forest-dwelling communities. However, its implementation in Assam has been uneven. While some tribal groups have secured Individual Forest Rights (IFRs), others remain entangled in bureaucratic delays. The BTC, which governs the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), has its own land policies, sometimes conflicting with state and central forest laws. This legal pluralism creates fertile ground for encroachment and complicates enforcement.

Critics argue that the FRA has been misused in some cases to legitimize encroachments under the guise of community rights. On the other hand, conservationists warn that without clear land tenure and alternative livelihoods, communities may turn to illegal extraction when legal avenues fail.

Governance in Crisis: Who Holds the Reins in Manas?

The governance of Manas is a patchwork of overlapping authorities. The Assam Forest Department holds primary responsibility for the park’s management under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. However, the BTC, established under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, exercises significant control over land and forest resources in the Bodoland region. This dual jurisdiction has led to confusion, delays, and, in some cases, collusion.

A 2023 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report highlighted systemic failures in Manas management, including inadequate staffing, poor boundary demarcation, and weak monitoring of encroachments. The report noted that only 60% of the park’s boundary had been physically marked, leaving vast areas vulnerable to unauthorized occupation.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has repeatedly stressed the need for coordinated action. Yet, inter-agency coordination remains a challenge. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has urged the Assam government to finalize the Tiger Conservation Plan for Manas, which has been pending for years. Without a clear, unified governance framework, enforcement becomes reactive rather than preventive.

Moreover, the role of local political leaders cannot be ignored. In several instances, encroachments have been tacitly supported by local politicians seeking to consolidate vote banks or benefit from land transactions. The nexus between land mafias, politicians, and forest officials has been documented in multiple studies, including a 2022 investigation by The Hindu that exposed illegal land deals in the Manas fringe areas.

Regional Implications: Conservation Beyond Borders

The outcome of the Manas case will resonate far beyond Assam. As a transboundary park, Manas is part of the India-Bhutan Manas Conservation Area (MCA), a transboundary landscape covering over 5,000 square kilometers. Bhutan has maintained strict conservation policies in its portion of Manas, with zero tolerance for encroachment. Any failure in India’s section risks undermining regional cooperation and could lead to diplomatic friction.

Furthermore, Manas is a model for tiger recovery in conflict zones. Its success story has inspired similar initiatives in other insurgency-affected regions like the Dampa Tiger Reserve in Mizoram. A setback in Manas could embolden encroachers in other northeastern states, where forest cover has declined by 8% over the past two decades, according to the Forest Survey of India.

The northeastern region is also a hotspot for climate migration. As temperatures rise and rainfall patterns shift, communities from Bangladesh and Nepal have moved into Assam’s forests, further straining resources. Manas, with its fertile soils and water availability, has become an unintended magnet for such migrants, exacerbating pressure on the ecosystem.

Pathways Forward: Balancing Rights, Restoration, and Resilience

The Gauhati High Court’s intervention offers a rare opportunity to reset the narrative in Manas. But legal action alone is insufficient. A sustainable solution must integrate three pillars: legal enforcement, community engagement, and ecological restoration.

1. Swift and Transparent Enforcement
The SIT must be empowered with forensic tools—satellite data, drone surveillance, and GIS mapping—to identify and remove encroachers without delay. The use of the Forest Rights Act should be streamlined to ensure that genuine claimants are recognized, while illegal occupants are evicted under the Wildlife Protection Act. Transparency in the eviction process is critical to prevent backlash and ensure justice.

2. Community-Led Conservation Models
Rather than viewing local communities as antagonists, conservation efforts should position them as partners. Initiatives like the Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society, which trains Bodo youth as guides and conservation stewards, demonstrate how livelihoods can be aligned with protection. Expanding such models with fair revenue-sharing mechanisms could reduce dependence on forest resources.

3. Ecological Restoration and Climate Resilience
Restoration of degraded areas within Manas is not just ecological—it is climate action. Reforestation, wetland revival, and corridor connectivity projects can enhance carbon sequestration and flood resilience. The Assam government, in partnership with international donors like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), has launched several restoration programs. These must be accelerated and scaled.

4. Strengthening Governance and Accountability
A dedicated Manas Conservation Authority, modeled after the Sariska Tiger Reserve Authority, could harmonize the roles of the Forest Department, BTC, and local bodies. Regular audits, third-party monitoring, and public grievance redressal systems should be institutionalized. The pending Tiger Conservation Plan must be finalized with clear timelines and funding commitments.

Conclusion: A Moment of Truth for Manas and India’s Conservation Legacy

Manas National Park stands at a crossroads. The Gauhati High Court’s intervention is not just a legal ruling—it is a clarion call. It signals that the era of passive conservation is over. India’s northeastern region, with its unparalleled biodiversity and cultural richness, cannot afford to lose another forest to encroachment, neglect, or political expediency.

The stakes are existential. For the Bengal tiger, the pygmy hog, and the thousands of species that call Manas home, the battle is about survival. For the millions who depend on the Brahmaputra’s waters and the Assam plains for their livelihoods, it is about resilience. And for India, it is about upholding its international commitments and moral responsibility as a custodian of global biodiversity.

As the court’s deadline approaches and the SIT begins its work, the world is watching. The Manas case is no longer just about land—it is about legacy. Will India’s judiciary, executive, and communities come together to save one