Encroachment hits ecology of Sonai-Rupai sanctuary

The Assam Tribune , Thursday, April 17, 2008
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
TEZPUR, April 16 – The Sonai-Rupai sanctuary is facing serious threat as the forest department of Arunachal Pradesh government has encroached upon a large area in Kamengbari of Assam-Arunachal border area. Likewise, the sanctuary that covers a total area of 220 sq.km have been encroached upon by people coming from various districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

It may be noted that the Sonai-Rupai sanctuary which is famous for its different kinds of valuable trees and wildlife is situated on the north bank and in the downhill of Arunachal Pradesh.

It is almost 50 km away from historic Tezpur city confined within seven other reserved forests like Behali reserve forest, Nameri national park, Pakey Tezpur reserve, Nadwar reserve forest, Balipara reserve forest, Charidwar reserve forest and Sonai Rupai forest, which came under the control of environment and forest department.

While talking to this correspondent, ranger of Kalamati gate range office under Sonai-Rupai Sanctuary Jatin Barkakaty disclosed that in the sanctuary wildlife such as elephants, bison, sambaro, barking deer, leopard, Royal Bengal tiger, deer, hornbill, monkey, slow-loris, eagle are found including many valuable trees. But because of the continuous encroachment by the people and poaching in the sanctuary, it was become endangered. He further said that necessary measures have been taken up to prevent encroachment as part of which awareness programme on ecological balance through the protection of the forests, benefits of tree plantation etc have been organised among the people and as a result of which the rate of encroachment is gradually decreasing.

The officer further asserted that as the sanctuary is identified as solid grazing spot for pigmy-Hawk, wwf has already projected to breed 200 such pigmy hawks in the sanctuary and it will be done formally in May.

On the other hand, the forest department of Assam has selected the sanctuary for elephant project.

Meanwhile, regarding the matter of conflict between the forest department and the encroachers, Rudra Kanta Dansyary, social worker of the area and president of Garubandha Bodo Sahitya Sabha expressing his total dissatisfaction over the government’s role in this aspect, stating that the people who have been occupying lands near the sanctuary do not belong to the forest but it falls under the tribal belt and block and accordingly, these people who are basically aboriginal tribal people should not be termed and treated as encroachers. According to the Forest Dwellers Act, passed a couple of years back by the Supreme Court of India, they have total right to live in this land, Dangyary said.

 
SOURCE : The Assam Tribune, Thursday, 17 April 2008
 


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