Sonowal talks tough at KNP, heads continue to roll

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 22: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal has directed the DCs and SPs of Jorhat, Golaghat and gaon to take all possible measures to protect rhinos even as Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma transferred two deputy conservators of forest (DCFs) and a ranger of Kaziranga tiol Park.

At a high level meeting with DCs and SPs of the three districts and senior forest officials in Kaziranga late evening yesterday, Chief Minister Sonowal asked them to leave no stone unturned to protect rhinos from falling prey to poachers.

“Whatever measures needed for protecting rhinos will be undertaken in Kaziranga tiol Park – a World Heritage site. We will take advice from intertiol experts on rhino protection,” Sonowal said. “Anyone linked to poaching of rhinos in Kaziranga tiol Park will not be spared,” he warned.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people living on the fringes of the park to remain alert against rhino poachers and urged them to also identify poachers and those having links with them. Sonowal also appealed to jourlists to help the government in its efforts to stop the killing of rhinos once and for all.

Meanwhile, ACF (Cachar Division) Tejas Mariswamy has been posted as ACF attached to the DFO, Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Bokakhat.

Two DCFs attached to the KNP director – Nityanda Dihingia and Jadab Chandra th – have been transferred to the PCCF’s office. They will be replaced by DCFs Pallab Deka and Altamas Baig.

Gujit Talukdar, presently posted at Makum, will replace Salim Ahmed as the ranger of Agaratoli range of Kaziranga. Kushal Deka has been appointed as the ranger of Bagori, a post that was lying vacant.

Meanwhile, conservationists are not too enthused about the transfers.

“What we need is an overhaul of the park’s infrastructure. Mere transfer of officers won’t be of much help. The department needs to erect more watch-towers, rrow the distances between forest camps and equip forest guards with modern gadgets and weapons,” they said.