BAIHATA CHARIALI, April 17 - �The State Forest department has laid more emphasis on creating new forest plantations in vacant places of the existing forest lands and eviction drive against the encroachers will continue,� said Pramila Rani Brahma, State Forest Minister in a meet with this correspondent.
The minister said that due to illegal occupation of forest lands and destruction of natural habitat of animals by encroachers, there has been an imbalance in the actual ratios among various living beings. This has led to frequent man-animal conflict also. To mitigate the man-animal conflict, the Forest department has laid stress on plantation to generate food for elephant and other grazing animals in the vacant forest lands.
On the other hand, eviction against encroachers in wildlife sanctuaries will continue in co-operation with the administration. Already in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, the department has carried out eviction drives against the encroachers despite protest from them and some other persons. These protesters have even created obstructions in building forest camps. But no compromise will be made with such people and the encroachers in this regard, the minister added.
Replying to a question about the illegal carrying of stones from the hills of Mandakata and its adjoining areas and river earth from Puthimari and Brahmaputra, the minister said that she had information about that and strict action will be initiated against persons involved in those illegal activities. She had been informed by various sources that such activities are going on in the area under the leadership of a handful of persons, who are also employees of the Government.