Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Factors affecting the property in 1996*
- 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 1996
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 1996**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1996
The site was included in the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992.
At the nineteenth session of the Committee the Observer of India stressed that her Government is ready to welcome a visit from members of the World Heritage Committee and the Director of the Centre to Delhi, Assam and Manas. In her recent letters, the Ambassador of India to UNESCO, reiterated this information and underlined that she hoped that an updated state of conservation report would be available in due course. A meeting was held to plan, schedule and prepare arrangements for the New Delhi, Assam and Manas visit. Subsequently, the Centre has been advised that the mission would be welcomed at the end of November 1996. However, as this would conflict with the twentieth session of the World Heritage Committee and the preceding Bureau session, alternative scheduling will be necessary. At the time of the preparation of this document, no updated report was available from the Government of India.
Action Required
In the absence of any precise information, uncertainties remain concerning the state of conservation of the site, the Bureau asked the State Party for a detailed report. In the meantime, the Bureau recommended to the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1996
The site was included in the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992. At the nineteenth session of the Committee, the Observer of India indicated that her Government was ready to welcome a mission by members of the World Heritage Committee and the Director of the Centre to Delhi, Assam and Manas. In her recent letters, the Ambassador of India to UNESCO reiterated this information and advised that an updated state of conservation report would be available in due course; the latter has not been received from the Government of India to date. The Centre Director met with the Ambassador to plan, schedule and prepare arrangements for the New Delhi, Assam and Manas mission and to provide related training at the Government of India's request. Subsequently, the Centre was advised that the mission would be welcomed at the end of November 1996. As this conflicted with the twentieth session of the World Heritage Committee and the preceding extraordinary session of the Bureau, alternative scheduling was necessary. At the twentieth session of the Bureau, IUCN informed the Bureau that a full report by a member of the Rhino Specialist Group will be made available to the twentieth session of the Committee. Alternate arrangements to receive and review the Manas state of conservation report, together with other reports on the state of conservation of natural World Heritage sites in India and from the region, in the context of implementing the Natural Heritage Training Strategy, are being planned by the Government of India for early in 1997 subject to the availability of World Heritage funds for international travel of regional participants.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1996
20 BUR IV.7
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Bureau recalled that the site was included in the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 and that at the nineteenth session of the Committee the Observer of India invited members of the World Heritage Committee and the Director of the Centre to visit New Delhi, Assam and Manas. IUCN informed the Bureau that a member of the Rhino Specialist Group has recently visited the site and a full report will be available at the next session of the Bureau. The scheduling of a mission to the site is under discussion.
In the absence of any precise information, uncertainties remain concerning the state of conservation of the site, the Bureau reiterated its request to the State Party for a detailed updated report. In the meantime, the Bureau recommended to the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
20 COM VII.C.18/20
SOC: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
VII.18 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Committee recalled that the site was included in the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992. At the nineteenth session of the Committee, the Observer of India indicated that her Government was ready to welcome a mission by members of the World Heritage Committee and the Director of the Centre to New Delhi, Assam and Manas. In her recent letters, the Ambassador of India to UNESCO reiterated this information and advised that an updated state of conservation report would be available in due course; the latter has not been received to date. The Director of the World Heritage Centre met with the Ambassador to plan, schedule and prepare arrangements for the New Delhi, Assam and Manas mission and to provide related training at the Government of India's request. Subsequently, the Centre was advised that the mission would be welcomed at the end of November 1996. As this conflicted with the twentieth session of the World Heritage Committee and the preceding extraordinary session of the Bureau, alternative scheduling was necessary. Alternate arrangements to receive and review the Manas state of conservation report, together with other reports on the state of conservation of natural World Heritage sites in India and from the region, in the context of implementing the Natural Heritage Training Strategy, are being planned by the Government of India for early in 1997.
The Secretariat informed the Committee that a letter was received from the Government of India on 2 December 1996 indicating its agreement with scheduling the mission to Manas for the end of January 1997.
The Committee, having examined the information provided by the Secretariat: (a) asked the State Party for detailed information concerning the state of conservation of the site and (b) encouraged the State Party to further develop its consideration of hosting a regional World Heritage site managers training workshop in India in support of implementing the World Heritage natural heritage training strategy. In lieu of updated information on the state of conservation of the site, the Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee may wish to adopt the following:
"The Committee, having examined the information provided by the Secretariat and IUCN: (a) ask the State Party for detailed information concerning the state of conservation of the site; (b) encourages the State Party to further develop its consideration of hosting a regional World Heritage site managers training workshop in support of implementing the World Heritage natural heritage training strategy and as a 25th anniversary of the Convention event, and (c) subject to the Centre recommendation, favorably considers support for regional World Heritage manager participation in such an event in 1997. In lieu of updated information on the state of conservation of the site, the Committee decides to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger."
India
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.
