Guwahati: Forest and environment minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said protecting the grassland in Manas National Park, a Unesco natural world heritage site, is a priority of the forest department and that efforts will be intensified to restore them.The minister was responding to a concern raised by BJP’s Khumtai MLA Mrinal Saikia over the rapid decrease of the grassland in the park.“The park, one of the first reserves brought under Project Tiger in 1973, spans over 2,837 sq km and is home to diverse grassland and forest ecosystems that support species such as the pygmy hog, hispid hare, Bengal florican, wild water buffalo, rhino, tiger and elephant. However, the reserve has witnessed a significant decline in grassland habitat, with cover shrinking from 53.61% in 1990 to 30.24% in 2019, mainly due to invasive species, habitat succession, altered fire and flood regimes, overgrazing, reduced herbivore populations and disruption of conservation activities during the period of civil unrest between 1988 and 2004,” he said.He further said the loss of grasslands has adversely affected several grassland-dependent species and mega-herbivores. “Manas also faces challenges such as unresolved encroachments in the Panbari and Bhuyanpara ranges and threats to the ecologically important Kokilabari grasslands, a key Bengal florican nesting site. Conservationists have stressed the need for grassland and bamboo restoration while avoiding tree plantations in former grassland habitats,” he added.Replying to Saikia, the forest minister said the decrease in grassland is a matter of concern but there are several factors behind it. “The climate change, less water flow to the park area due to embankment constructions in Assam and infrastructure development in the Bhutan side and invasive plant species are the few factors behind the decrease in grassland,” he added.The minister said that he would visit the park soon and all efforts would be put in to destroy the invasive plant species and increase the grassland.However, he said, “A few steps have been taken by the govt to destroy the invasive plant species and increase grassland. However, the desired result has not been received yet.” He added that protecting grassland in Manas is a priority of the forest department.The minister also said the department aims to increase tourist footfall in other national parks to reduce the concentration on Kaziranga.“Moreover, we have to think about working for high-end tourism. Many tourists want to come and stay for a long time for research or wildlife purposes. But, we have not been able to give a scope in that and hence we have not been able to generate the desired revenue as well,” he added.
