Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
- Civil unrest
- Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
- Illegal activities
- Land conversion
- Other Threats:
Destruction of Park infrastructures
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Construction of a dam (issue resolved);
- Bodo people insurgency;
- Destruction of Park infrastructures;
- Illegal removal of vegetation;
- Poaching
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 1995**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1995
At its eighteenth session, the World Heritage Committee took note of the information provided by the Indian Government through the Permanent Delegate that "if the representatives of the World Heritage Centre and of the World Heritage Committee desire to visit New Delhi, Assam and Manas for discussion, or see the site" then they "would be welcomed by the concerned authorities of the Government of India". In the same letter the Indian authorities also indicated that the Indian Government will involve local level NGOs in monitoring the state of conservation of the site.
At present cooperation between the management of Manas of India and Bhutan prevails on a bi-lateral basis. To enhance cooperation between India and Bhutan in the conservation of the Manas ecosystem, the Government of Bhutan should be invited to ratify the Convention as soon as possible.
Action Required
The Bureau invites the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Government of India, to elaborate the terms of reference for a mission to New Delhi, Assam and Manas in India.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995
The Bureau recalled that at its eighteenth session, the World Heritage Committee took note of the information provided by the Indian Government through the Permanent Delegate that "if the representatives of the World Heritage Centre and of the World Heritage Committee desire to visit New Delhi, Assam and Manas for discussion, or see the site" then they "would be welcomed by the concerned authorities of the Government of India". In the same letter the Indian authorities also indicated that the Indian Government will involve local level NGOs in monitoring the state of conservation of the site. It was also noted that cooperation between the management authorities of the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary of India and Manas National Park in Bhutan should be encouraged. To enhance cooperation between India and Bhutan in the conservation of the Manas ecosystem, the Government of Bhutan should be invited to ratify the Convention as soon as possible.
The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Government of India, to elaborate the terms of reference for a mission to New Delhi, Assam and Manas. No response has been received to the Centre's letter concerning a mission to the site.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995
In the absence of any precise information, uncertainties remain concerning the state of conservation of the site, the Bureau may wish to ask the State Party for a detailed report. In the meantime, the Bureau may wish to recommend to the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 BUR VI.20
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Bureau recalled that at its eighteenth session, the World Heritage Committee took note of the information provided by the Indian Government through the Permanent Delegate that "if the representatives of the World Heritage Centre and of the World Heritage Committee desire to visit New Delhi, Assam and Manas for discussion, or see the site" then they "would be welcomed by the concerned authorities of the Government of India". In the same letter the Indian authorities also indicated that the Indian Government will involve local level NGOs in monitoring the state of conservation of the site. Cooperation between the management authorities of the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary of India and Manas National Park in Bhutan should be encouraged. To enhance cooperation between India and Bhutan in the conservation of the Manas ecosystem, the Government of Bhutan should be invited to ratify the Convention as soon as possible.
The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Government of India, to elaborate the terms of reference for a mission to New Delhi, Assam and Manas in India.
19 COM VII.A.1.7/8
SOC: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
V11.7 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The IUCN Representative informed the Committee that recent information on the site indicates that the civil unrest continues to restrict management efforts. Habitat conditions in a portion of Manas were still intact, but numbers of large fauna species were particularly low due to commercial poaching.
The Committee recalled that it had on numerous occasions expressed its concerns on the state of conservation of the site and requested the State Party to provide detailed information.
The Committee took note of the intervention by the Observer of India regarding Manas wildlife Sanctuary and welcomed the offer of the Government of India to provide a detailed report on the state of conservation of the site. The Committee recalled and thanked the Government of India for its invitation to representatives of the World Heritage committee to undertake a mission to New Delhi, Assam and Manas, for discussions and to visit the site. The committee requested the Centre to cooperate with the Indian authorities in arranging for this visit as soon as possible and report back to the twentieth session of the World Heritage Committee.
The Bureau recommends the Committee to examine the information contained in the working document and the oral report provided by the Secretariat/advisory body. The Bureau recommends the Committee to adopt the following:
"The Committee expressed its serious concern about the conditions of the site and questioned whether the World Heritage values were still present. The Committee also regretted the limited response from the State Party to its repeated enquiries. The Committee requested the Director-General of UNESCO to transmit its concerns to the Indian authorities in the strongest terms possible and to stress the urgent need for a substantive state of conservation report from the States Party. The Committee also requested the future Chairperson to consult with the Indian authorities and to offer the possibilities of assistance which could be provided. The Committee decided that in the absence of any precise information, uncertainties remain concerning the state of conservation of the site, and that the Manas be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger."
India
Documents examined by the Committee
19COM (1995)Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
