Addressing reporters here on Thursday, State Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain said the State government had also decided to deploy Army in the adjoining areas of KNP as precautionary measure. “The State government has announced an award of Rs 5 lakh to the person who can give the government information about the activities of the poachers in Kaziranga National Park,” Hussain said.

It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has given approval for a CBI inquiry into the rhino poaching cases in KNP after the State Forest Minister sent a letter to the Chief Minister requesting the latter for a CBI inquiry.

Hussain said the State government had decided to upgrade the post of Director of KNP to the rank of Chief Conservator of Forest. “For the post of Chief Conservator of Forest of Kaziranga, NK Vasu, IFS, has been given appointment. The present Director of Kaziranga will function as conservator of the park,” he said.

Admitting that the poachers have taken advantage of floods in KNP, that forced several animals of the park to flee to adjoining areas or highlands, he said a committee had been formed to conduct a study of security measures which could be taken in the adjoining areas of Kaziranga. “We have given the charge of the study committee to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife and the Guwahati Zoo DFO,” he added.

Hussain informed that two rhinos were poached - one rhino was killed and another one was injured - on Thursday for their horns in Karbi Anglong district and at Jagadamba Tea Estate near Karbi Anglong district. “Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife suspected the involvement of some extremist groups behind the poaching of the rhinos in the State in the last few days,” he said, adding, “A total of 11 rhinos were killed in Kaziranga so far in this year.”

Terming the killing of rhinos unfortunate, Hussain said, “During the AGP rule from 1986 to 1990, 171 rhinos were killed in the State,” adding, “BJP MP Bijoya Chakraborty, who blamed me for my failure to protect the rhinos in the State, has probably forgotten that rhino poaching was at its peak when the AGP was in power and she was an AGP MP then.”

Hussain said rhino population in KNP has increased during the rule of the Congress government in comparison to the AGP days. “On the basis of the 2012 census, present rhino population in Kaziranga is 2,290 whereas the rhino population in Kaziranga was 1,080 in 1986,” Hussain added.

The Forest and Environment Minister further stated that the Supreme Court has allowed the Assam government to present its view on October 3 on conducting tourism in KNP which runs a tiger conservation project inside the park. The Assam government appealed to the apex court to allow the government to conduct tourism in KNP without disturbing the tiger conservation project.