In the last fifteen days, one forest guard was killed and two others were injured by rhino inside the park. But in such situation the forest workers have to perform their duty with less man power. It is pertinent to mention that there are a total of 125 camps in the park with an area about 1300 square kilometres including the six addition. According to norms 5-7 guards should be there in a camp but at present these are running with only 2-3. As a result the workers become helpless if one of them gets ill or any danger comes to them. On one forest guard Atul Borah was killed by a rhino in Agaratoli range on March 7 while two others namely Kulen Kakoti and Chandra Deka who were injured seriously by rhino attacks on February 24 and 25 respectively are still fighting for their lives at the GMC. On the other hand two rhinos were killed by unexperienced mahut in the park. The nature lovers feel that the excessive pressure of vehicular traffic including the Jeep safari in the park disturbs the wild animals and they are becoming ferocious.

Talking to this correspondent KNP director SN Buragohain said that the government is trying to strengthen the camps with sufficient manpower. This will be done from the newly appointed forest workers, the appointment of whose is going on. On the other hand he denied any vehicular pressure as the vehicles are allowed only on some selected routes. The director also opined that due to the lack of rainfall the rhinos are facing food scarcity.

Boycott of poachers: The residents of Laklangia under Dergaon PS have decided to socially boycott the poachers who are the major threat to one horn rhino of Kaziranga. This was decided at an awareness meeting held at Laklangia LP School on March 7.

The meeting organised by an NGO Rhino Jagaran Mancha, Bonkual in association with Dergaon Forest Beat Office was presided by social worker Someswar Doley. Explaining the objective of the meet Pranab Morang the secretary of Rhino Jagaran Mancha opined that to make the public aware about the poaching of rhinos in the area several meetings were organised.

Taking part in the meeting journalist and nature activist Sanjoy Kr Hazarika explained the morphology of rhino horn and the superstitions related thereto. He urged the gathering not to follow the superstition and to act against the poachers.

The secretary of Golaghat District Forest Employees Association Dulal Morang, nature activist Dibya Bori ,VDP secretary Arup Tamuly also spoke on the occasion. Dulal Morang urged the gathering to cooperate with department to nab the poachers. Dergaon Forest beat Officer Dhiren Gogoi, forester Dimbeswar Phukan were also present in the meeting.