KOHORA, Oct 15 – State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain has appealed to the people of Kaziranga not to get misled by the rumours spread by vested interests in regard to poaching of rhinos recently who, according to him, want to politicise the matter for their own advantage.
At a rally organised by the Bokakhat Block Congress at Kohora on Friday, he said that genuine grievances of the common people and their sincere suggestions would be widely accepted by the authority adding that the Congress government had done much for the betterment of the frontline forest staff besides ensuring an amendment in the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) to modify wildlife-related crime as a non-bailable offence and ensure strict punishment for poachers with a provision of life imprisonment.
Forest Minister Hussain informed that now onwards each and every forest staff and officers are entitled to have SLR, AK-47 etc., under the provision of Power to Use Arms and can have immunity from prosecution from police forces.
Addressing the gathering, the PWD minister Ajanta Neog said that we must check those people who are trying to extract political mileage from rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park. She praised the efforts of the Forest department under the leadership of Rockybul Hussain in controlling the problems in Kaziranga.
Member of Parliament from Kaliabor, Deep Gogoi said that there is a need to locate rhino movement places in order to conduct massive awareness programmes in those areas where there is human settlement to check poaching activities.
The rally was organised by the Bokakhat Block Congress and was presided over by Arun Phukon, MLA, Bokakhat.
