Taking serious note of large-scale community fishing inside Kaziranga National Park during the Magh Bihu celebrations in mid-January, the Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government, concerned departments and Kaziranga authorities to strictly enforce prohibitory orders to prevent illegal fishing within the protected area.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL No. 63/2025) filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury, observed that failure to protect Kaziranga would amount to violations of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, constitutional obligations under Article 48A, and India’s international commitments.
“In any view of the matter, the protection of such a site is necessary,” the court observed, adding that enforcement of prohibitory orders is essential to prevent further ecological damage. The bench stressed that the issue requires immediate attention from the authorities.
The court directed the respondents to place on record the measures taken to control illegal fishing activities inside Kaziranga National Park and to outline effective mechanisms to prevent such incidents. It also sought an affidavit by the next date, detailing steps taken to stop illegal fishing during the first and second weeks of January.
The PIL sought urgent judicial intervention to curb large-scale fishing in water bodies within Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. Counsel for the petitioner informed the court that every year during the Magh Bihu festival, celebrated on January 13 and 14, large numbers of people enter the park to engage in traditional fishing practices in protected water bodies, in blatant violation of wildlife protection laws.
The petitioner argued that such activities severely disrupt the park’s fragile ecosystem and pose serious threats to its biodiversity, including endangered species such as the one-horned rhinoceros, migratory birds, and nearly 42 species of fish. Unchecked, these practices could compromise the ecological integrity and conservation status of the park.
Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Representing the Forest Department, standing counsel D. Gogoi submitted that the authorities are aware of the issue and that prohibitory orders are issued regularly to curb illegal fishing. However, he noted that enforcement becomes challenging due to the large number of people gathering in the area during the festival, often driven by religious and traditional fervour.
