UNESCO World Heritage Committee: Requests Reports on Dam Activity in Kaziranga, India

Date: 
Thursday, July 21, 2011

In its 2011 annual meeting, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee urged the State Party of India "to inform the World Heritage Centre of any planned developments that could negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including dams." India has until 1 February 2012 to submit any plans on dam construction in the Kaziranga National Park.

Kaziranga National Park (India)

The World Heritage Committee Decision 35 COM 7B.13

Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/7B.Add,

  • Recalling Decision 33 COM 7B.13, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),
  • Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the state of conservation of the property nor an Environmental Impact Assessment of the alternatives to the proposed upgrading of the highway NH37, as requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session;
  • Notesreports received by IUCN that:
    • The park authorities have increased efforts to prevent poaching, and that
      poaching is now largely under control,
    • The National Highway Authority has abandoned the proposal to upgrade highway NH37, which runs along the southern boundary of the property, and is considering a new alignment which will circumvent the property along an existing road on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River;
  • Requests the State Party to develop and implement a monitoring and management system to address the issue of invasive species;
  • Urges the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre of any planned developments that could negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including dams, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and to submit Environmental Impact Assessments of such plans to the World Heritage Centre prior to taking a final decision;
  • Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2012, a report on the state of conservation of the property, including a report on i) the question of the approval and alignment of the alternative highway expansion that avoids the property, ii) any plans regarding dam construction that may affect the property and iii) time series data of key wildlife populations and poaching records, as well as the other issues raised above.