Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Assam government made 15861.24 hectares of forest land free from encroachment in the past five years, and yet 4393.44 hectares of land in national parks are under encroachment.
Assam has seven national parks, besides a proposed national park - Sikhna Jwhwlao. Lands in four of the seven national parks are facing encroachment. State Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah revealed these facts while replying to a question from AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury in the state assembly today. The MLA wanted to know the number of national parks facing encroachment and the amount of forest land under encroachment.
The forest minister informed the House that Assam has a total of 1801953.53 hectares of forest land. In the past five years, the state government carried out an eviction drive and freed 15861.24 hectares of forest land from encroachment, he said. "The government is to free 312982.17 hectares of forest land from encroachers. The government will free these forest lands from encroachers in phases," he said.
The minister further said that the total area of Manas National Park is 85,000 hectares, and 3,670 hectares of the park is under encroachment. Likewise, the minister said that 652.94 hectares of the 34,000 hectare area of Dibru Saikhowa National Park, 31.5 hectares of the 23,426 hectare area of Dihing Patkai National Park, and 30 hectares of the 42,200 hectare area of Raimona National Park are under encroachment. "The Kaziranga National Park, the Orang National Park and the Nameri National Park have no encroachment," he added.
Also Read: Assam Records Over Six Crore Tourist Arrivals in a Decade