GUWAHATI, June 30 � Governor JB Patnaik has called for stringent forest laws to deal with poachers and smugglers to protect the flora and fauna of the State.
In a statement on the eve of Vana Mahotsava, the Governor said that the foresters should be provided with fire arms to meet the challenge of protecting the forests of the State.
Patnaik said that rapid soil erosion by the Himalayan rivers is one of the biggest problems facing the State because of the fact that there are not enough trees to firmly hold the soil. As the rich soil is carried away by flood water, the beds of the rivers became higher than the
human habitations posing constant danger for the people during the rainy season, he added.
The Governor stressed the need for creating widespread awareness among the masses about the danger of deforestation and said that there should be close cooperation between the common people and forest officials. The joint forest management system should confer on the villagers a sense of ownership, he added.
