Controversy Erupts Over Land Conversion Near Kaziranga National Park for Five-Star Hotel

A rights group alleges improper land conversion near Assam's Kaziranga National Park for the construction of a five-star hotel by an international hospitality group, citing violations of environmental and social norms. Authorities have supposedly transferred 20 acres of public land, impacting local communities and wildlife.

A rights group on Monday claimed that substantial land near Assam’s Kaziranga National Park has been converted and assigned to an international hospitality group to build a five-star hotel without adhering to norms.

At a press conference, Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee President Pranab Doley revealed that 60 bighas (20 acres) of public land were transferred to the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) last year.

Doley stated that the ATDC signed an agreement with the hotel chain to develop the land into a 120-room luxury hotel. He claimed that around 45 families, who used the agricultural land for cultivation and grazing, have been affected.