Guwahati, Feb. 13: Kaziranga Wildlife Society, an NGO, today demanded that the Assam government make public an intelligence report that had last year reportedly found the involvement of some state forest department staff in rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park.
"Following the killing of 44 rhinos in 2014, the forest department had constituted an intelligence cell to help check poaching in Kaziranga. The cell, which had submitted an interim report to the government last year, had found the involvement of some officials and staff of the department. But the state government has not yet made the report public for action against those involved," the society's secretary, Mubina Akhtar, told reporters here.
The NGO today accused the forest department of not working out a comprehensive plan to check poaching with the involvement of the people residing near the park.
"The department has not yet implemented its decision to set up wildlife police stations, step up investigation and prosecution process, sensitise the eco-development societies and involve NGOs to counter rhino poaching although such decisions were taken in 2012," she said.
Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site comprising over 800 square km, hosts two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinos. It has about 2,400 rhinos at present. Killing of the rhinos in the park has been a serious concern for conservationists and the government.
The NGO's demand follows the poaching of four rhinos this year.
Akhtar said the state government, instead of strengthening the intelligence cell, had shifted it to Guwahati from Kaziranga. "We demand that the cell be reinstated in Kaziranga and a toll-free helpline opened soon so that people can share information with the forest staff and police to prevent rhino poaching."
The NGO also demanded that political parties, gearing up for the Assembly election likely to be held in April-May this year, declare a green agenda for protection and preservation of the forests and rich wildlife in the state. "Political parties should stop doing politics over rhino poaching and instead make their agenda on the issue clear," Akhtar said.
The Telegraph, Sunday , February 14 , 2016
https://www.telegraphindia.com/1160214/jsp/northeast/story_69153.jsp
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