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Kaziranga, June 16: A new battalion of 600 jawans will soon be placed in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve for better management and checking of poaching activities, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said following a review meeting on flood preparedness, anti-poaching measures, and animal safety in the national park.
Additionally, a more comprehensive strategy will be adopted to ensure complete zero poaching, he added.
The meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, was attended by Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, and the Superintendents of Police from five districts—Golaghat, Nagoan, Sonitpur, Karbi Anglong, and Biswanath—along with the District Commissioners.
The Chief Minister said that the objectives of the meeting were to analyse the animal casualty figures during floods and ensure that there is no poaching when the water level increases during the annual flood season. He said that since 2021, rhino poaching in Kaziranga has been reduced to a great extent. In 2021, there was zero poaching. In 2022, two rhinos were killed, but poaching was greatly checked, he added.
Sarma said that since 2021, the number of deaths of wild animals crossing the National Highway during floods has reduced to a great extent. This time, the Kaziranga authority and police will ensure zero casualties of wild animals while crossing the highway to move to the foothills of Karbi Anglong during flood time.
Moreover, steps are also being taken to ensure that poachers cannot take advantage of floods in Kaziranga to kill any wild animals, he said. For that, emphasis is also being laid on having better coordination between the forest department of Kaziranga and the local police.
Sarma also informed that following the eviction drive in Burachapori, more wild animals, including a good number of rhinos and 12 to 15 tigers, have been sighted. Action is also being taken to gradually extend Kaziranga Forest further into Burachapori, said Sarma.
As far as erosion in the Kaziranga forest area is concerned, the Chief Minister pointed out: "Earlier, when there was erosion inside the Kaziranga forest area, there was also equal deposition of silt in some other nearby areas, which ensured that the land mass or area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve remained more or less same, but this is not happening nowadays, leading to reduced land mass or area of Kaziranga forest. This is a cause of concern for all."
The Chief Minister also said that measures are being taken to prevent erosion. A joint committee of the water resources department and Kaziranga Park Authority will soon formulate ways to use technology to reduce erosion in the Kaziranga riverine areas. The committee will submit its report within 45 days.
He also said that 20 new marine engine boats will be provided to the Kaziranga Park Authority to check poaching activities in the riverine areas.
Regarding the footfall of tourists to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, he said that a larger number of tourists visited the park this year compared to the number of tourists who visited the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve.
To further boost tourist numbers to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, the Chief Minister said a documentary will be made on the two national parks and tiger reserves (Manas and Kaziranga) in the state, which will be widely displayed to promote them.
A plan has also been mooted to create a cycling route and tea-testing facilities for tourists in Kaziranga, along with a boat ride facility.
He also informed that around 90 percent of the one crore saplings planted during Amrit Vriksha last year have survived.