Assam PCB orders relocation of Bokakhat waste plant threatening Kaziranga

Guwahati: The Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB) has asked the Bokakhat Municipal Board to relocate its waste dumping site and Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) at Latabari, citing serious environmental threats to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Bokakhat Municipal Board, the APCB referred to a petition submitted by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury to the Supreme Court–mandated Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

The APCB order came days after the CEC asked the Assam government to submit its response within four weeks on the setting up of a controversial waste management facility near Kaziranga National Park.

Choudhury’s petition warns that the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and FSTP at Latabari—located barely 80 metres from the River Diffloo—could adversely impact the fragile ecology of Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The APCB enclosed the proceedings of the CEC hearing held on October 29, 2025, concerning Application No. 1627 of 2025 related to the ongoing Wildlife Protection case (W.P. (C) No. 202 of 1995).

According to the pollution board, the CEC has taken note of the concerns raised in the petition and recommended that the Assam government submit a detailed response within four weeks.

The APCB, after reviewing the submissions and the CEC’s observations, stated that the current waste management setup—including the dumping site, MRF, and FSTP—must be relocated to an environmentally safer site to prevent potential contamination of the river and ecological harm to Kaziranga.

The board has asked the Bokakhat Municipal Board to submit an action-taken report within seven days.

The letter, signed digitally by APCB Member Secretary Gautam Kr. Misra, underscores the urgency of the matter, reflecting growing concerns about unregulated development around Kaziranga and its impact on wildlife habitats.