SHILLONG: Cadres of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), hiding in the thick forests of Garo Hills are allegedly killing wild animals to feed themselves, claims Garo National Council MLA Clifford R Marak.
“The GNLA is killing these wild animals as a means of their livelihood,” Marak said during Question Hour in the Assembly on Thursday. He also inquired if the Forests and Environment department was providing the forest guards with sophisticated weapons to protect these wild animals.
In reply, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the department does not have sophisticated weapons at its disposal, but admitted that the forest guards have access to enough weapons to match the militants. “We always take the assistance of the police if there is any kind of emergency,” Tynsong said.
Meanwhile, denying reports that the Government was intending to purchase sophisticated weapons, the Minister maintained that the department will take all possible measures to ensure that the lives of all endangered species are protected at all costs including taking steps for strict enforcement of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
“We are adhering to the provision of providing safe havens for wild animals in the Wildlife Sanctuary and National Parks. Improvement of Wildlife by way of making provisions for waterholes, artificial salt licks, planting of wild fruits species and fodder species,” Tynsong said.
He said that the Government is also looking at declaring certain forests as Community Reserves to facilitate a joint venture between the Government and the community for protection of flora and fauna.
“We would also constitute of joint forest management committees around the protected areas and in the villages situated in the vicinity of the animal corridors for protection of flora and fauna. We would form voluntary protection guards in the villages to protect the endangered species,” he said.
Tynsong listed a total of 11 endangered species in the State citing a survey conducted by the Zoological Survey of India in 1994.
These include Slow Loris (Nycticebus caucang), Hog Badger (Arctonync collaris cuvier). Binturong (Arctictis binturong), Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Hoolock Gibbon (Hylobates hillock), Common Indian Monitor (Varanus bengalensis), Yellow Monitor (Varanus Flavescens), Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), Indian Rock Python (Python molurus linnaeaeus), Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and Great Pied Hornbill (Buceros bicornis homrai).
While replying to a supplementary question of NPP legislator James K Sangma, Tynsong said that the Government has no plans of conducting its own independent survey and census on the endangered species in the State.
He also asserted that the Government will not allow killing of animals for any kind of rituals.
