GUWAHATI: Assam Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has expressed deep concern over the proposed oil and gas exploration project by Vedanta in the eco-sensitive zone of the state’s Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister of Environment, Forests & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, the MP highlighted the critical habitat for the endangered Hoolock Gibbon within the sanctuary and also questioned the Assam Wildlife Department’s recommendation to grant forest clearance, even with conditions.
Considering the gravity of the situation, Gogoi, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, has sought urgent action from the Union Forest Ministry to protect the wildlife sanctuary.
“The sanctuary is a critical habitat for the endangered Hoolock Gibbon. The Assam Wildlife Department’s recommendation to grant forest clearance for the project, even with conditions, is deeply troubling. While I understand the potential economic benefits of the project, these cannot come at the expense of our natural heritage and endangered wildlife,” Gogoi stated in the letter.
The project’s potential impact on this ecosystem, including deforestation and pollution, is simply too great, he claimed.
He urged the union minister to reconsider the Assam Wildlife Department’s recommendation and reject any plans that would endanger the sanctuary or its inhabitants.
Notably, the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a unique and irreplaceable ecosystem.
He also requested the union minister to prioritize the protection of Assam’s vital wildlife sanctuary and explore alternative solutions without harming the environment.
The Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, formerly known as the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary or Hollongapar Reserved Forest, was officially constituted and renamed in 1997.
Situated in Assam’s Jorhat district, the sanctuary contains India’s only ape and gibbon species – the hoolock gibbons, and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate – the Bengal slow loris.
Currently, the sanctuary is surrounded by tea gardens and a few small villages.
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The wildlife sanctuary has a very rich biodiversity. As of 2023, there are 125 individuals of Hoolock Gibbon in the sanctuary. It is also home to 219 species of bird, several types of snake, and 211 species of butterflies.
