GUWAHATI, Sept 30 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the Government would set up anti-poaching camps in areas outside Kaziranga National Park, especially on the hilly stretches of the nearby Karbi Anglong forests where wildlife from Kaziranga invariably take shelter during the annual floods.

Gogoi also announced that a State Wildlife Crime Control Bureau would be set up to tackle growing wildlife crimes.

As many as five rhinos were shot by poachers in the area within a week during the current wave of floods, exposing the shocking absence of any protective mechanism on the part of the Forest Department to protect straying animals.

Gogoi, during the course of a press conference, also ruled out existence of any Bangladeshi infiltrators inside Kaziranga National Park, adding, however, that one or two of the subsequent additions (still awaiting final demarcation due to pending court cases) to the park did have human settlements.

“Let me assure you that in the event of any Congressmen, including ministers, found to be harbouring illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators in Kaziranga, he would not be spared,” he said.

Asserting that the State Government was taking the spurt in rhino poaching very seriously, Gogoi accused his political opponents of unnecessarily politicizing the issue.