Assam: Officials hold meeting on flood preparedness at Kaziranga ahead of monsoon season

ANI May 22, 2025 329 views

Assam officials and NGOs met to strategize flood preparedness for Kaziranga National Park ahead of monsoon season. The meeting emphasized coordinated efforts to protect wildlife, with past successes credited to community involvement. Jeep Safari operators and local associations played a key role in past rescue operations. Improved inter-agency coordination aims to minimize animal mortality during floods.

"Timely intervention is critical to ensure wildlife safety during floods" – Dr. Sonali Ghosh, KNP Field Director
Assam: Officials hold meeting on flood preparedness at Kaziranga ahead of monsoon season
Kaziranga, May 22: In line with the preparation for the upcoming monsoon season, a meeting on flood preparedness was held at the Convention Centre Hall in Kohora, located within Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

Key Points

1

Officials review flood response plans for Kaziranga

2

Focus on reducing animal mortality during floods

3

Jeep Safari operators, NGOs join coordination efforts

4

Past flood successes highlight community cooperation

Dr. Sonali Ghosh, APCCF and Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP&TR), chaired the meeting on Wednesday.

Senior officials from the District Administrations of Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Nagaon, the Assam Police Department, the Forest Department, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the District Transport Authorities, and other key government agencies attended the meeting.

Representatives from various NGOs, local organisations including the Jeep Safari Association, Hotel Owners' Association, and members of the media also participated in the meeting, bringing the total number of attendees to around 80.

The meeting focused on reviewing the landscape's flood preparedness scenario and emphasised the need for coordinated efforts among all stakeholders.

The critical importance of timely intervention to ensure the safety and well-being of wildlife during floods was highlighted. All agencies and community representatives were asked to cooperate and actively participate in managing the flood situation effectively.

An open discussion was held, and all participants were invited to give their opinions and suggestions. Various stakeholders shared their experiences and recommendations based on past flood events.

Emphasis was laid on improving animal rescue efforts, regulating vehicular traffic during floods, and enhancing inter-agency coordination.

All participants unanimously acknowledged and appreciated the effective coordination and prompt response by various departments during the last flood season, which resulted in a significant reduction in animal mortality and improved rescue operations.

Additionally, the cooperation of local communities, Jeep Safari operators, resort/ homestay associations, and local media in facilitating the smooth movement of rescue personnel and providing temporary shelter to evacuated animals and support staff was highlighted as a key factor in reducing animal mortality.

The successful regulation of National Highway traffic to allow safe passage for migrating wildlife during floods was also commended.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Good to see proactive measures being taken before monsoon hits. Kaziranga is our pride and protecting its wildlife should be top priority. Hope they implement proper traffic control this year - last time too many vehicles were speeding near animal crossing zones. 🚗🐘
P
Priyanka M.
As someone from Assam, I appreciate the inclusion of local communities in these discussions. Our villagers have traditional knowledge about flood patterns that can help officials. But please ensure proper compensation for farmers whose lands become animal shelters during floods.
A
Arjun S.
While coordination is good, I'm concerned about implementation. Last year many flood shelters for animals weren't properly maintained. Hope they conduct regular inspections this time. Also need more trained rescue personnel - relying only on forest guards isn't enough during peak floods.
M
Meena T.
Great initiative! 👏 The reduction in animal mortality last year shows what proper planning can achieve. Would suggest creating mobile veterinary units that can reach stranded animals faster. Also need awareness campaigns for tourists about responsible behavior during floods.
S
Sanjay R.
They should involve IIT Guwahati or other technical institutes to develop early warning systems using AI/satellite data. Traditional methods plus modern tech can make a big difference. Also important to protect the park staff who risk their lives during rescue operations.
N
Neha P.
Happy to see hotel owners participating - tourism industry must be responsible partners in conservation. But what about plastic waste management? Floods carry tons of plastic into the park. This meeting should address pollution control measures too. #CleanKaziranga

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Tags:
Assam floods Kaziranga National Park monsoon preparedness wildlife rescue Sonali Ghosh