From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The population of precious one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam has increased to 2329 as per the rhino census carried out by Forest Department during March 24 and 25. This is despite the frequent incidents of rhino poaching reported from this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A senior forest official informed that the figure of this year’s rhino census indicated a net increase of 39 rhinos over last year’s census figure of 2290.
Poachers have been keeping forest personnel on toes in and around the Park of late and have so far killed over ten rhinos since January this year creating public outcry in the state.
Meanwhile, Assam forest department is mulling to arm forest guards in the KNP with sophisticated weapons like AK series assault rifles to counter the new brand of rhino poachers who are using assault rifles to kill one-horned rhinos of late.
Assam Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain informed that rhino poachers armed with sophisticated weapons posed a serious threat to the rhino population in Kaziranga and other protected areas in the State.
Assam government recently formed a special forest protection battalion armed with SLRs to protect wildlife in the State. Out of the 300-strong battalion, 100 personnel are being deployed in the KNP.
Hussain further informed that a co-ordination committee with senior police and forest officials had been formed to ensure better coordination in anti-poaching operations at the KNP and neighbouring areas. The committee is comprised of superintendent of police of Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts and a chief conservator of forest department.
Kaziranga National Park is spread over an area that forms parts of Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam while Karbi Anglong hill district strikes along the southern border of the Park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Assam government with permission from the Central government has amended the Wildlife Protection Act to enhance the maximum punishment to convicted rhino poachers to life imprisonment. Wildlife offences have been made non-bailable and cognizable.Under the provisions of Section 197 CrPC, forest officers and staff have been granted immunity from prosecution without prior sanction from the government so that they can go all out against poachers on the prowl.