KAZIRANGA, Feb 5 - The land areas in Bandardubi and Deosur, adjacent to Kaziranga National Park, which were once occupied by doubtful citizens and later cleared of encroachment, have not still been handed over to the Kaziranga National Park authority.
According to highly-reliable sources in the Forest department, the said areas which had been evicted and cleared of illegal encroachers in September, 2016 as per the order of the Gauhati High Court, need to be handed over to the Kaziranga Forest department to check any form of illegal activities by anti-social groups.
Sources further added that since the area remains with the civil authority of Kaliabor subdivision, so the Forest department of Kaziranga and adjoining Forest divisions cannot take any action if any information on poaching is brought to the notice of the Kaziranga National Park authority.
Secondly, there are chances that some people living near Bandardubi and Deosur may take advantage of the situation and encroach upon those said areas which had already been cleared of doubtful citizens.
It is worth mentioning that eviction was carried out in Bandardubi, Deosur, Palkhowa under Kaliabor subdivision in September, 2016 as per the order of the Gauahati High Court. Eviction was carried out by a team of forest, civil and police personnel under the initiative of the then Circle Officer of Kaliabor Parijat Bhuyan.
It was learnt that initially an in-depth survey was carried out by the then Circle Officer Bhuyan as per the instruction of the high-powered committee constituted as per the order of the High Court. After submission of the report, the High Court ordered eviction in the said areas, sources said. There was a resistance from the people of the locality who did not want to leave their place of living.
While talking to this correspondent, the SDO of Kaliabor Bitupan Neog informed that the handing over process of the evicted land from Bandardubi and Deosur to Kaziranga National Park authority was in the process from the government�s side.
There are a lot of migratory birds found in those evicted areas as there is no significant human interference which indicates that the habitat remains suitable for avifauna.
It is worth mentioning that poaching activities had been drastically reduced and controlled after doubtful citizens were evicted from Bandardubi and Deosur which are lye adjacent to the Kaziranga National Park.
Sources added that poachers coming from outside Assam earlier used to take shelter in those evicted areas. But after eviction, the poachers could not get any logistic support to go inside the park areas of Kaziranga. And that is how the poaching is reduced. But still the forest guards and staff remain alert to check any activities of anti-social people and protect the wild animals of Kaziranga National Park, sources said.
