Guwahati: One sanctuary exists only on paper, in another, people are unable to enter due to resistance from locals; one awaits final notification, while another has no staff.
This is the state of affairs in six protected areas (PAs) in the Northeast, which have been rated as ‘poor’ in the 2020–25 Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) report brought out by the Wildlife Institute of India.
The repeat cycle of the MEE assessed 438 protected areas across different states and union territories, with an overall mean MEE score of 64.41%, indicating management effectiveness as “Good.” Among these, 84 protected areas were rated as “Very Good,” highlighting their strong management practices, adherence to conservation goals, and effective implementation of MEE recommendations. Among the states of the Northeast, Tripura had the best mean MEE score of 69.94 per cent.
MEE is an indispensable tool in improving the management of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, helping identify gaps and adopt effective conservation measures. The report was released recently.
The seven protected areas in the Northeast that have been rated “poor” are Ringba-Roba and Kamala in Arunachal Pradesh; Bunning, Jiri Makru, and Kailam in Manipur; and Borail and Raimona in Assam.
Interestingly, 49.20 sq km of land was donated by local people to the government for the Ringba-Roba wildlife sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh. It was initially notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 2013, and the final notification was issued in 2015.
Dominated by subtropical evergreen forests and bamboo brakes, the PA has a rich assemblage of flora and fauna of the eastern Himalaya. Naturally protected in the north by the river Menga, the area has two natural lakes, namely Ringba and Roba, which attract migratory birds in winter.
“Soon after the issuance of the final notification, Panchayat representatives and locals raised objections to the establishment of the protected area (PA). The staff is unable to enter the PA due to strong resistance from locals. The PA also does not have sanctioned staff and funds for management and protection. It does not have a management plan or any management activity. Recently, the DFO Daporijo requested the CWLW to constitute a committee to remove the stalemate. Presently, the PA exists only on paper,” the MEE report says.
The report has recommended that the park authorities resolve the conflict with local communities regarding the establishment of the PA and Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) as a priority. Upgrading the PA to the status of a range, along with sanctioning adequate staff, funding, and protection infrastructure, is vital for effective management. A comprehensive management plan should be prepared based on WII’s guidelines, the report says.
Similarly, the Kamala Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal virtually exists on paper, as it does not have sanctioned posts of staff, nor funds and infrastructure.
“It does not have a management plan and lacks relevant information on PA values and other attributes. There are 11 villages in the north and west, with many villagers claiming to have been erroneously included in the PA. A serious PA-people conflict exists, as locals are divided over the continuation of the PA. The DFO Daporijo has recently asked the CWLW to constitute a committee to resolve the issue,” the report says.
The Raimona National Park in Assam suffers from the absence of a management plan, shortage of staff and funds, poor connectivity, inadequate interpretation and awareness programmes, and poor protection infrastructure. “The southern buffer of the PA has old encroachments,” the report says.
An integral part of the transboundary India–Bhutan Manas landscape, the 422 sq km Raimona National Park was notified on 9 June 2021. Situated in Kokrajhar district under the administration of the Bodoland Territorial Council, the PA is also a vital corridor in the Ripu-Chirang ER.
Surrounded by dense forests, including the Buxa Tiger Reserve in the west, it is famous for the golden langur, elephant, tiger, leopard, four types of deer, lesser cats, and rare birds and butterflies. Besides the rich biodiversity, the PA has high hydrological and aesthetic values.
In the Borail Wildlife Sanctuary, there are 42 villages causing heavy biotic disturbance. Being managed under two different territorial divisions, without dedicated staff for PA management, the protection is inadequate. The protected area suffers from low funding, untrained manpower, absence of ecological research and monitoring, and publicity and interpretation activities,” the report says.
The Bunning Wildlife Sanctuary in Manipur still does not have a final notification. “The PA suffers from a lack of frontline staff, management plan, baseline information, and connections with local institutions.
Weak inter-sectoral linkages and the continuation of customary hunting by local tribals further complicate management challenges. It is rich in biodiversity characteristic of the northeastern Himalayas, and the local community is generally supportive of management efforts, with some community-linked projects already implemented nearby.”
The Jiri Makru Wildlife Sanctuary in Manipur connects to Assam in the west and Bunning WLS in the east, and it contains some of the last remaining primary forests. The area serves as an important migratory route for elephants, and local tribes report the presence of tigers.
“However, the PA is remote, with poor access and minimal staffing (only one range officer). It suffers from severe shortages of human and financial resources. Local communities have contested the establishment of the PA and have raised objections to its final notification.
Challenges such as inadequate protection infrastructure, the absence of a management plan, lack of a landscape-level vision, insufficient stakeholder participation, and weak inter-sectoral coordination further complicate management efforts,” the report says.
The Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary in Manipur was notified in 1997. It primarily consists of sub-tropical wet hill forests and is the second-largest PA in Manipur, home to five species of hornbills as well as several endangered and threatened plant and animal species. Bounded by National Highway 102B and three rivers, the PA acts like a forested island with high biodiversity values, though it is connected to surrounding forests.
“The management of the PA is centralised at the state headquarters, with only one range officer in place and no frontline staff or protection infrastructure. There is no management plan established for the PA. Local communities continue to resist the PA’s establishment, leading to ongoing conflict as they assert traditional rights to PA resources, which previously belonged to them before notification,” the report says. There has been no collaboration with local NGOs or other institutions.
The report has recommended that the authorities involve local political leaders, NGOs, and other stakeholders to resolve land ownership conflicts and introduce participatory wildlife management.
Training local youth in hornbill watching, tree identification, and hospitality can help develop community-centric eco-tourism, enhancing livelihoods while supporting PA conservation. Introducing nature education programs in nearby schools, promoting the PA as a hornbill habitat to attract tourists, and collaborating with local NGOs to highlight the benefits of participatory management are essential steps for successful conservation efforts.
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