Will it be a heritage site soon?

May 13: The World Heritage Committee of Unesco may finally consider taking the Heritage Site in Danger tag off Manas National Park with the park authorities fulfilling one of the UN agency’s conditions.

They have submitted the baseline data of the park — which in common parlance means the animal count — to the World Heritage Committee.

A team comprising experts from the International Union of Nature and Natural Resources and Unesco visited Manas in February to find out whether the government has been able to implement the recommendations laid down by the World Heritage Centre.

They asked the authorities to submit an adequate baseline information on the wildlife database of the national park within a month so that the international heritage committee can consider removing the danger tag.

Though delayed by two months, the report has finally been submitted.

“Earlier, there was no proper baseline data of the national park because of lack of reliable information. The park had suffered after it was declared a Heritage Site in Danger,” a senior official of the park said.

In its report to Unesco, the park has provided information on the population of elephants, tigers, rhinos, deer, wild buffaloes and golden langurs.

“The committee has received the baseline data and is satisfied with it,” the official said.

The Unesco team will now submit its report at the 32nd meeting of the World Heritage Committee at Quebec City, Canada.

The park authorities have also supplied maps of the park after it became a national park in 1990 and when it was a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

“The maps will help them to compare the changes in the park in 1985 and 1990. We are hoping for the best this time, as we were able to submit the documents, which were required. There was no proper baseline data of the national park earlier,” the official added.