Decision 29 COM 7A.9

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7A,

2. Recalling its Decision 28 COM 15A.10, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),

3. Welcomes the cessation of conflict at this property and the positive measures undertaken by the State Party of India to improve its state of conservation, including ecotourism initiatives in Kokilabari which involve the Bodo people and the re-building of park infrastructure;

4. Notes that the impacts of the conflict still exist, in particular in relation to wildlife populations (rhino, tiger and swamp deer) and timber removal in the Panbari Range;

5. Urges the State Party of India, in view of the possible removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, to meet the following benchmarks identified by the monitoring mission:

a) accelerate efforts to re-build park infrastructure;

b) take prompt measures to fill vacant positions within the park;

c) ensure timely release of funds to the park, in compliance with the recent Supreme Court ruling of the State Party; and

d) undertake a comprehensive wildlife survey in the park, which could act as a future baseline for monitoring recovery of the property;

6. Requests the State Party to work with the Royal Government of Bhutan to have the contiguous Royal Manas National Park inscribed on the World Heritage List as a transboundary property; and to expedite its approval of the World Heritage Biodiversity Programme of India that has provision for crucial support for conservation of the property;

7. Also requests the State Party to submit by 1 February 2006 a report on progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2005 monitoring mission and in particular on the results of the status survey of wildlife in the park and progress in re-building park infrastructure, including a time-table for its completion, for examination by the Committee at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006);