Dehing Patkai-The Amazon of The East

The Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary also referred to as “Jeypore Rainforest”, the only sole Rainforest in Assam and one among India’s last lowland evergreen rainforests. 

“DEHING PATKAI THE AMAZON OF THE EAST” we can see across Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar districts of Assam and also spreaded till the State of Arunachal Pradesh. 

The Dehing Patkai National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary covered an area of 234.26 sq. kilo metre and belongs to Assam’s wet tropical evergreen forest category.

On 9 June, 2021 the forest department has declared the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary as a National Park. The Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that this was a landmark step in environmental conservation and will be an another endeavour by the state to protect its rich flora and fauna. The newly formed Dehing Patkai National Park forms the largest stretch of lowland rainforest in India. The Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary was declared the Dehing-Patkai Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant. 

The “DIHING” is one among the massive southern feeders of Brahmaputra and “PATKAI” is a range that forms a serious part of the Indo-Myanmar border. 

The name “Patkai” is basically an abbreviated sort form of “Pat-kai-chang-kan”.

Dehing Patkai National Park 

The major beauty of the sanctuary is its Orchid diversity with 100 species, where eight species are critically endangered as well as the home of around 30 species of Butterflies and 290 species of Birds. 

The territory is a living home to an outsized number of Reptiles, Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, Golden cats, Hoolock Gibbons etc. 

Therefore the best time to go to Dihing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to enjoy vacations is the time of winter and spring.

Infact the shortage of administration has facilitated the felling of trees day by day even inside the forest range area. A well known NGO Addl Sec, Kishore Mech has said that when we see the sanctuary from outside, we can see there are many trees inside but the actual fact is in inside the sanctuary, there is nothing. The vast fields of land which are once covered by trees now only limited numbers of trees are there only.

Most of the environmentalists allegedly saying that after 2003 illegal mining increased within the sanctuary and heavy deforestation stepping into the reserves which is now become very worse for the sanctuary.

In May 23, 2020, when nationwide lockdown given by Govt for the global pandemic COVID-19, the National Board for Wildlife granted permission for coal mining across 98.59 hactares of “Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary”.

The Conservationists raised their voice against these decisions and fighting to safeguard the forest saying that the move will destroy the beauty of “DIHING- PATKAI”. 

In search for ‘Black Gold’, Why Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, The Amazon Of The East, Is Gasping For Life, losing its beauty. 


The Coal India Limited has been mining in the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary since 2003.   

• One is Coal Mining and its impact in Saleki and

• The second is the institutional exploitations occurred in the whole Dihing Patkai Forest reserved facilitated by legal and illegal modes.

It’s inhabited by a sizeable population of elephants which is under threat from the mining project. Moreover the world is already threatened by pollution credit goes to industries and refineries nearby .

Therefore anyhow the Coal Mining in Dehing Patkai : The Amazon of The East must be saved at all costs. 

Most important FAQs :

1. Why is dehing patkai famous for?

– The oldest refinery of Asia in Digboi and ‘open cast’ coal mining at Lido are located near the sanctuary. It is famous for Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests bordering Arunachal Pradesh. 

2. How can I reach Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary?

– The nearest airport is Dibrugarh which is just 80 km from the Dehing-Patkai Sanctuary. Digboi, Duliajan ot Margherita are the closest town to the forest. The towns are within 20 km from the forest. Bus or taxi can be availed from the Dibrugarh (Mohanbari) Airport to these towns. 

3. Why dehing patkai is called Amazon of East?

-Dehing-Patkai forms the largest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests in India. The forest is often referred to as the ‘Amazon of the East’ owing to its expanse and thick forest. FAUNA: Being a virgin rainforest, this Sanctuary is rich in biodiversity. 

4. Who gives national park status?

– The central government, if satisfied with the conditions of the specified area, can declare it as a sanctuary or a national park by the notification. The central government has the power to declare sanctuaries or national parks if the government is satisfied by the conditions which are given in section 35. 

5. Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Assam?

– Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga National Park is certainly a very famous wildlife sanctuary situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River. It is decently enormous in terms of area which is about 800 square kilometres and consists of immense green vegetations. 

6. WHO declares a tiger reserve?

– National Tiger Conservation Authority

Tiger Reserves are declared by National Tiger Conservation Authority via Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 under centrally sponsored scheme called Project Tiger. To declare an area as Tiger Reserve, the state governments can forward their proposals in this regard to NTCA. 

7. How many wildlife sanctuary are there in Assam 2021?

– 18 wildlife sanctuaries. 

8. What is the new National Park in Assam?

– There are two new national parks in Assam. They are Raimona National Park and Dehing Patkai National Park. 

➖Hello if you like this article on Dehing Patkai-The Amazon of The East do comment & show your support by sharing this article and if there is any query you are welcome to ask.