When Profit Pollutes: How Luxury Tourism is Strangling Rural Kaziranga

Two separate but equally alarming cases of environmental negligence in the Kaziranga region have sparked public outrage, with residents accusing private guest houses of dumping untreated waste into agricultural fields and residential areas—putting livelihoods, public health, and the Kaziranga National Park at serious risk.

Case 1: Farmers Forced to Abandon Cultivation in Monsoon

In one incident, toxic wastewater from a private guest house named “Finn’s Weaver”, owned by Pranab Dutta, has reportedly been seeping into nearby farmlands in a Kaziranga village for the past four years. The water—allegedly originating from the guest house’s toilets and kitchen—has turned once-fertile paddy fields into uninhabitable marshes.

Farmers say that repeated appeals to the guest house have been ignored, and with heavy monsoon rainfall this year, the situation has worsened significantly. Several bighas of farmland are now submerged in chemical-laced, foul-smelling water, causing crop failure and skin irritation among those who try to enter the fields.

“This isn’t a natural disaster. This is man-made. Our saplings rot within days of planting,” said a local farmer.

With agriculture being the sole livelihood for many in the area, the damage has been devastating. The farmers have now urged the Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, demanding urgent intervention, not compensation, but a permanent solution to stop the pollution.

“We are in an eco-sensitive zone, and yet such violations go unchecked,” said a local youth leader, expressing frustration over the alleged inaction by the Pollution Control Board and local administration.

Case 2: Mandu Guest House Accused of Dumping Solid Waste in Populated Area

In a nearby locality under Ward No. 8 of West Kaziranga Gaon Panchayat, another guest house—“Mandu”—is facing heat from residents for openly dumping kitchen and solid waste in a public area next to homes and schools. Locals allege that the dumped waste has turned the area into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases, particularly affecting children.

“The stench is unbearable. Schoolchildren have to walk past it every day, and many are falling ill,” said a resident.

Despite multiple complaints over several months, no action has been taken, prompting villagers to issue a seven-day ultimatum. If the waste is not cleared within a week, they have vowed to clean the area themselves—and dump the garbage back at the guest house’s premises in protest.

Environmental Threat to Kaziranga National Park

Both incidents carry grave implications not only for human residents but also for the Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located nearby. Locals warn that with the onset of monsoon, waste from these areas—especially from the Mandu Guest House site—could easily flow into the Juria stream, which feeds into Kaziranga, threatening the park’s delicate ecosystem and endangered wildlife like the one-horned rhinoceros.

“The garbage is just a few metres away from the stream. One downpour is enough to carry it into the park,” warned a local environmentalist.

Failure of Governance and Swachh Bharat Ideals

These back-to-back environmental violations have also triggered criticism of the government’s failure to enforce basic sanitation and waste management rules. Residents questioned the effectiveness of flagship programs like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, calling it a slogan on paper, not practice.

“Is this what ‘Clean India’ looks like? If this is happening in a region as sensitive as Kaziranga, what does it say about the rest of the country?” a villager asked angrily.

Call for Immediate Action

Residents from both affected areas have called upon the district administration, Assam Pollution Control Board, and the Forest and Environment Department to step in immediately. They are demanding inspections, penalties for the violators, and permanent infrastructure to manage waste responsibly—before the damage becomes irreversible.

With both human health and wildlife at stake, the coming days will be a crucial test of political will and environmental accountability in one of India’s most iconic natural landscapes.

Also Read: ‘Fix Our Roads or No Votes’: Jonai Villagers Issue Ultimatum After Flood