GUWAHATI, March 14 � DN Chakravartty, Editor, Sankarjyoti, and president of the Journalists� Association of Assam, in a message to the Defence Minister of India suggested the taking over of the Kaziranga, Manas, Orang, Pobitiora and other protected forests by the Army for the purpose of protecting those from the heinous activities of the poachers � both from the neighbourhood and outside � as the State machinery had utterly failed to protect the precious denizens of the forests.
Chakravartty expressed indignation at the loss of 75 rhinos during the last three years at the hands of organized gangs of poachers �in close collusion with the high and low of the Forest Department.�
Expressing sympathy for �an innocent minister like Atuwa Munda�, he said that the Forest Department had been �engulfed by such a strong coterie of smugglers and international mercenaries that simple persons like Munda would never be able to control the situation in spite of his best wishes.�
He urged the Chief Minister to warn the entire forest personnel about the �sense of abhorrence on the part of the people of Assam against the entire staff of the Forest Department.� He added that except a few honest persons, the entire Forest Department had been corroded by corruption and money-grabbing obsession in total disregard of the welfare of the State in general and precious forest wealth in particular. Chakravartty warned the officers and staff of the department of the dangerous consequences if they failed to correct themselves before it was too late.
GUWAHATI, March 14 � DN Chakravartty, Editor, Sankarjyoti, and president of the Journalists� Association of Assam, in a message to the Defence Minister of India suggested the taking over of the Kaziranga, Manas, Orang, Pobitiora and other protected forests by the Army for the purpose of protecting those from the heinous activities of the poachers � both from the neighbourhood and outside � as the State machinery had utterly failed to protect the precious denizens of the forests.
Chakravartty expressed indignation at the loss of 75 rhinos during the last three years at the hands of organized gangs of poachers �in close collusion with the high and low of the Forest Department.�
Expressing sympathy for �an innocent minister like Atuwa Munda�, he said that the Forest Department had been �engulfed by such a strong coterie of smugglers and international mercenaries that simple persons like Munda would never be able to control the situation in spite of his best wishes.�
He urged the Chief Minister to warn the entire forest personnel about the �sense of abhorrence on the part of the people of Assam against the entire staff of the Forest Department.� He added that except a few honest persons, the entire Forest Department had been corroded by corruption and money-grabbing obsession in total disregard of the welfare of the State in general and precious forest wealth in particular. Chakravartty warned the officers and staff of the department of the dangerous consequences if they failed to correct themselves before it was too late.
