Kaziranga’s Eco-sensitive Zone: What could a smaller buffer mean for wildlife and development?
In Focus by The Hindu

Kaziranga’s Eco-sensitive Zone: What could a smaller buffer mean for wildlife and development?

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 3, 202628 min

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is at the centre of a debate over how much protection should extend beyond its boundaries. The Assam government has proposed a site-specific Eco-Sensitive Zone of around 1-3 km in different stretches, replacing the 10-km buffer currently applicable to Kaziranga. In this episode, we unpack what an Eco-Sensitive Zone actually does, why these zones are created around protected areas, and what the Supreme Court has said about their minimum extent and site-specific nature. The conversation looks at the legal process for changing Kaziranga’s ESZ, the concerns of communities living around th...

Play episode

Opens the player: the full transcript, every word clickable, with translation and flashcards.

Try it: tap any word

Real sentences from the start of this episode. Every word is marked with its level.

Sentence 1 of 12 · 0:00

, .

The government has proposed a site-specific eco-sensitive zone around Kazianga ranging

Hear this sentence

Tap a word to see its meaning in your language.

Do you know these words?

8 harder words from this episode. Tap one to see what it means, then mark it.

  • B23:03
  • B24:50
  • B28:12
  • B211:21
  • C116:54
  • B217:55
  • C122:19
  • C125:27

Mark a few words and we'll tell you how this episode fits your level.

Is this episode right for you?

B2

B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 15%A2 30%B1 23%B2 22%C1 11%
  • 67% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 147 words a minute: a natural pace.
  • 136 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.

0:00

This is In Focus, the Hindu's current affairs podcast. The government has proposed a site-specific eco-sensitive zone around Kazianga ranging from 1 km to 3 km in different stretches, instead of the existing 10 km regime. The government says this would address the difficulties faced by people living around

0:46

the park, particularly with construction and development. The proposal on the other hand has raised questions about what could happen in the areas just outside Kazi Ranga, not only where people live and work but which are also used by wildlife even during floods and movement across the wider landscape. So what does this

1:06

change actually mean? What would happen to the rules governing development and other activities around Kazi Ranga? And how should the boundaries of an eco-sensitive zone be decided? To help us understand the legal framework and what this proposal could mean for Kazi Ranga and the the communities around it. We are joined today by Ritvik Datta. He's an environmental lawyer

That was the opening. The rest of the episode (27 min) is in the player: every word clickable, with translation, saved words and flashcards.

Continue in the player

Automatically generated from the audio. May contain errors. Audio belongs to its publisher and is played from their feed. Rights holders can request removal — copyright & takedown policy