KALAIGAON, Aug 20 - The tigress that has been taking shelter at Borobazar village near Orang for last 11 months, has already killed 37 cattle, pigs and goats. The Forest department till now has not been successful to capture or chase away the tigress although several attempts were made to tranquillize it for translocation to Orang NP. This has been decried by ABSU State and Udalguri district committees. ABSU organised a press meet at Orang on August 19 demanding early translocation of the tigress from Borobazar villages.
Dipen Boro, vice president, ABSU central committee while addressing the press meet criticised the Forest department of Assam and BTC for not taking up concrete steps for ensuring safety of both human beings and the tigress. He declared that ABSU volunteers will be compelled to block NH-15 if the problem is not solved soon.
On the occasion, Boro said that then Assam Forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma, during her visit to Borobazar on February 4 this year, had assured the villagers of solving the issue. But nothing concrete step has been taken up so far. ABSU leaders also criticised the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for ignoring the safety of the tigress and villagers as well. The leaders alleged that State Forest department had paid compensation to 13 villagers whose animals were eaten by the tigress. But due to the negligence of the Revenue and Forest departments, the remaining 16 villagers are likely to be deprived of the compensation.
Romeo P Narzary, another State vice president of ABSU while addressing the press meet said that government will be fully responsible if anything negative happened to the tigress and villagers.
Rotendra Daimari, president, ABSU Udalguri district committee declared that they will block NH-15 if the Forest department fails to take steps within seven days. It will be followed by a gherao programme of the DFO office at Udalguri. The press meet was also addressed by Mahesh Basumatary and Chandan Daimari.
