KALAIGAON,Dec 31 � A meeting was held in the DC�s Conference Hall at Udalguri on December 28 to discuss problems of Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary. Declared a Reserve Forest in 1942, it was elevated to a wildlife sanctuary in 1980. Famous for pigmy hog and hispid hare, besides other animals and birds, Bornadi WLS with an area of just 26.21 sq km has been a part of Manas Tiger Reserve.
But wildlife loving people of the district have a different story to tell. According to them it was elevated to a WLS without considering development of its infrastructures like approach road, communication, forest staff, tourist lodge, guide etc. Unabated destruction of forests and large-scale encroachment have been adding more trouble to the WLS and its habitats. With no attached buffer zone, the animals of the sanctuary are in big risk of lives. Any wild animals coming out of the WLS instantly get killed by locals. Neither Assam nor BTAD authority had ever paid the slightest attention for its development. Nature-loving people of the district including members of two NGOs working at Bornadi WLS and Khalingduar RF have expressed serious concern saying that if no steps were taken it would die a premature death.
Fortunately educated young boys and girls of the locality have come out for the restoration of its lost glory. It also needs mention that an news article titled � Pigmy hog may be extinct in Bornadi sanctuary� was published in The Assam Tribune on December 27.
The meeting was attended by the DC, SP, DFO of Udalguri, representatives of WWF, ABITA, Media, DVO, District Agriculture Officer and members of two NGOs namely � Pigmy Hog Eco-tourism Society and Green Valley Forest and Wildlife Protection Society.
Speaking on the occasion, Thaneswar Malakar, DC, Udalguri thanked The Assam Tribune group for giving excellent coverage of the three reserve forests of the district namely -Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Khalingduar Reserve Forest, Bhairabkunda JFMC Forest and neewly another PRF which has been totally encroached. At the same time the members of the two NGOs namely � Pigmy Hog Eco-tourism Society of Bornadi WLS and Green Valley Forest and Wildlife Protection Society to work with dedication leaving aside personal interest and profit. Conservation activists Debanga Mahaliya spoke on poor grassland management in Bornadi WLS saying that invasive species of creepers and shrubs could very much destroy the WLS. Bankim Sarma, DFO, Dhansiri Division explained departmental procedures and requested members of the conservation groups to inherit expertise and skill before venturing into forests. According to him, the new management plan for Bornadi WLS would soon be prepared. Hiten Baishya of WWF North Bank Landscape Programme assured the meeting that they would arrange a training camp at Bornadi in the month of February for the members of the NGOs working in the district so as to engage them in wildlife survey. In this matter, he assued that they would also arrange an exposure tour for the trainees in Laokhoa WLS. Bikon Deka, senior manager of Bhutiachang TE (one of the most eco-friendly tea gardens in the State)and chairman ABITA speaking on the occasion advised young members to stop traditional hunting and killing of wild animals and birds among tea garden tribes. He also declared that ABITA would arrange another nature exposure tour for the nature loving members in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. A monitoring committee for Bornadi WLS was formed in the meeting as suggested by DC Udalguri with DFO, Dhansiri forest Division as the chairman, Jayanta Kumar Das as Member Secretary, ADC (Dev) and Additional SP Udalguri; Chairman ABITA ,Mangaldai Circle;Debanga Mahaliya and two representative from two NGO as members.The committee will take necessary steps for the promotion of Eco-tourism and conservation of flora and fauna in Bornadi WLS.