GUWAHATI/JORHAT: The unabated rise in the Brahmaputra's water level at Neematighat over the last few days has resulted in the inundation of some low-lying areas on the periphery of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). A Central Water Commission report said that the Brahmaputra is flowing some 1.64 metres above the danger mark at Neematighat and continues to rise.
Meanwhile, the three districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Chirang were still submerged in floodwaters till Tuesday. With 2,332 people taking shelter in eight relief camps in Chirang and Dhemaji, about 34,562 remained severely affected by the floods.
At the park, speedboats, machine boats and other rescue equipment has been made available to all the camps, informed KNP director NK Vasu. "The floodwaters have just started entering the park, but there is no threat as of now. Only the Armiora camp is facing some erosion threat, but this is normal during floods. We are checking the water level twice a day now. If the water flowing down from Dibrugarh district rises abnormally, then it can be a threat to the park," he said.
There are over 150 anti-poaching camps in the park, including four floating camps. Park officials said seven speedboats are currently available and the authorities have ordered for more, which are expected to arrive soon. The existing speedboats, which were procured last year, have also been repaired. Besides, the forest guards can use country boats as well in emergency situations.
The floods leave animals vulnerable to poaching every year as they migrate to higher lands outside the park area to escape the floodwaters. Vasu said the threat of poachers is there this year as well, but the KNP authorities are well-prepared. "Many grasslands and highlands are not yet submerged and the animals have not yet migrated to the hills. According to intelligence inputs, a group of poachers is hiding in the hills of Karbi Anglong and are waiting for more areas of the park to be submerged, which will cause the rhinos to stray outside, making them vulnerable. But additional forest staff has been deployed to foil any attacks by poachers," he said.
The wildlife research officer of the park, Rabindra Sarma, told TOI: "Only the water levels of some streams inside the park have risen a bit. The movement of the animals is still normal."
Last year, the KNP faced the worst floods in the past decade with over 500 animals, including 14 rhinos and 475 hog deer perishing in the floodwaters. Besides, poachers killed two rhinos at Haldhibari and Karbi Hills and chopped off their horns during the floods.
Besides the Brahmaputra, three other rivers—Desang in Sivsagar, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur and Beki in Barpeta—were flowing above the danger level on Tuesday. The Met office in Guwahati forecast rain and thundershowers in most places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.
