Alleged encroachment in Dihing Patkai National Park

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: The Dihing Patkai National Park (DPNP), the 7th National Park which was notified on June 15 covering two districts, namely Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, with a total area of 234.26 sq km, is not free from encroachment by neighbouring Arunachalees while illegal felling of trees is rampant under Jeypore Range of Dibrugarh division. The Park will be inaugurated by State Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya at Jeypore on Saturday.

The national park, a contiguous stretch of forests, starting from Upper Dihing Reserve Forests in the East (under Digboi Division, Tinsukia district) up to the Jeypore RF (under Dibrugarh Division, Dibrugarh district), comprises some pristine forests along the Assam-Arunachal inter-State boundary classified as Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests and popularly known as Dihing Patkai Rain Forest. The notified National Park will be administered by Soraipung Range of Digboi Division (123.67 sq km) and Jeypore Range of Dibrugarh Division (110.59 sq km.

Maximum encroachment took place under Jeypore Range where almost 9 sq km from GPS point 170 (2706'19.661"N/95022'58.645"E) to 178 (2706'35.143"N/95022'7.187"E) is under the procession of Arunachalee people in which tea cultivation exists. According to information, they have even constructed a concrete bridge over River Disang and a road along the inter-State boundary to Rangluwa to facilitate transportation of illegal logs to Borhat in Assam. This 9-km stretch of land is without any natural demarcation and is not easily accessible from Assam side. It is alleged that more than 500 trees were felled in recent times and were transported to saw mills at Arunachal Pradesh's Rangluwa in connivance with forest officials of Dibrugarh Division.

The notification also needed some rectification in respect of operational area. The Jeypore Range is presently under Naharkatia subdivision and not under Dibrugarh Sadar as stated in the notification.

Also Read: Assam Governor issued notification to set up the new Dihing Patkai Park in State

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