The Jalpaiguri district administration has issued stringent curbs on any new construction within a one-kilometre radius of eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) surrounding the Gorumara National Park and the Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary.
The decision, taken during the inaugural meeting of the eco-sensitive zone monitoring committee on Wednesday, marks a significant shift in how development will be regulated in one of north Bengal’s most tourism-heavy belts.
No new structures, whether for tourism or any other purpose, will be allowed within that zone, even if the intention is to extend pre-existing infrastructure.
Sources said that within the 17km ESZ limit around Gorumara, any construction activity, be it private or government-led, must adhere strictly to existing environmental guidelines and receive prior clearance from the monitoring committee.
“The committee has made it clear that all tourism facilities, especially those that had previously submitted proposals to develop resorts or homestays in these zones, will now be subject to field investigations. Questions have also been raised regarding the future of such pending applications,” said a source.
The Murti belt, one of the most resort-heavy pockets in the region, now finds itself in the crosshairs of this new regulatory regime. Over time, several properties have mushroomed even within the 1km radius of the forest boundary, violating official eco-sensitive parameters.
Lataguri, arguably the most congested tourist hub in the Dooars, is another area facing the heat. From Neora More to Kranti crossing, private resorts line the stretch densely. Near the old railway station, massive, luxury resorts complete with air-conditioned rooms, banquet halls and swimming pools stand alarmingly close to the forest’s edge. These constructions were raised at a time when regulations were either absent or loosely enforced. But with the ESZ tag now officially in place, their future could face fresh legal and procedural hurdles.
While a standard operating procedure was referenced in official communiques, there remains significant ambiguity about how it will be implemented. No resort owner or manager has so far gone on record about the looming restrictions.
Chapramari’s ESZ has been pegged at a tighter 2km range. On the route from Lataguri to Chalsa, several private resorts have sprung up between 500 metres and a kilometre from the forested areas.
Some even use "Gorumara National Park" in their signage, potentially misleading tourists and brushing dangerously close to regulatory violations. The belt covering Tiabon, Batabari, Mangalbari, Tilabari, Murti, Dhupjhora, Lataguri and its adjacent forests includes multiple government-run cottages as well.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Gorumara, Dwijpratim Sen, confirmed that all aspects concerning both Gorumara and Chapramari were discussed in depth, including the operational clauses laid out by the government regarding the ESZ.
"In the crucial one-kilometre zone from the national park’s boundary in areas like Lataguri, Dhupjhora, Ramsai, Nagrakata and parts of Meteli, no new permanent tourism infrastructure will be allowed," he said.
“The new ESZ guidelines also explicitly ban mining, tree-felling, stone transportation and any industry that may cause pollution. Expansion of sawmills is also forbidden,” he added.
“The monitoring committee will develop a new tourism master plan to guide permissible development, with even temporary eco-tourism activities outside the boundary requiring committee approval,” he added.
Sources said that several sensitive areas under the Gorumara ESZ include Ramsai, Nagrakata, Uttar Kalamati, Kawagab, Bamon Danga and Tondu. “High-density tourism clusters like North and South Dhupjhora, Chalsa Mahabari, East and West Batabari, Lataguri, Jhar Matiyali and Uttar Matiyali fall within the newly enforced eco-sensitive radius,” said a source.
“The committee’s first meeting in the district magistrate’s office was riddled with pressing questions: what will happen to the structures already standing within the prohibited radius? What becomes of long-pending proposals for resorts and tourism hubs?” the source asked.
Site inspections are likely to begin soon, with the committee signalling its intention to thoroughly assess each claim. Several heavyweight corporate groups are said to have pending proposals awaiting clearance, said sources.
Shama Parveen, the chairperson of the committee and Jalpaiguri district magistrate, said no new construction will be allowed within a one-kilometre radius of the park’s boundary.
“For anything beyond that, up to a 17km-radius, development will only proceed under the direct instructions and permissions issued by the monitoring committee in accordance with binding legal safeguards,” she said.
Animesh Basu, an environment activist and committee member, said detailed discussions were held during the meeting, but cooperation from all stakeholders would be essential. “We need to protect the region’s rich biodiversity, including rhinos, elephants, bison, deer and leopards that call these forests home,” he said.