HELPLESS against the degradation
of forests, the Assam forest departwent is enlisting "people's cooperation" against encroachers, poachers and political extremists. The
department has set up joint forest
management committees that will
involve local people. The committees will take on plantation work
as well as protect the forests and
receive a share of the benefits in
payment. The state is planning to
include forest protection in the
Eighth Plan and strengthen its forest
protection forces.
Despite intensive patrolling, at
lug 90 rhinos died in the Kaziranga
National Park last year, 35 of them
Itilled by poachers for their horns
terrect to be unicientitleci, is
because forest custodians are
often hand-in-glove with poachers
and manipulate rhino population
figures so as to cover up the
extent of their slaughter.
Most of the encroachment into
the 7,562-ha Rajiv Gandhi
Wildlife Sanctuary is said to be by
immigrants who have settled on a
huge char (island) formed where
the Brahmaputra splits into two
streams in north-central, Assam.
Forest officials contend that unless
these settlers are evicted from the
char, the flora and fauna of the sanctuary will be lost
irretrievably. But
the eviction could not be carried out
due to political pressures.
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