GUWAHATI: The Assam government has reshuffled officials in Kaziranga National Park in its effort to strengthen anti-poaching measures following killing of two rhinos within a week.
Stopping rhino poaching is one of its election commitments of the BJP-led government.
Chief minister SarbanandaSonowal on Wedneday directed the deputy commissioners (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) to take "all possible measures" to protect the state animal.
Sonowal had a high-level meeting with DCs and SPs of Jorhat, Golaghat and Nagaon districts and senior forest officials in Kaziranga on Tuesday where the chief minister told them to leave no stone unturned to protect the rhinos.
"We will provide full support to stop poaching of rhinos and save the state animal from becoming extinct. Whatever measures need to be undertaken will be adopted for protecting the rhinos, we will support for saving rhinos and Kaziranga. If necessary we will take advice from international experts," Sonowal said.
After recent suspension of Kaziranga director M Ali, in a major reshuffle of the officials of the park TejasMariswamy has been posted as assistant conservator of forest (ACF) of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division which covers the Kaziranga. Mariswamy was earlier posted as ACF of Cachar forest division.
The government recently appointed S Singh as the new director of Kaziranga, which is also a tiger reserve. Ali was suspended on charge of "negligence of duties" after a rhino was poached during forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma's visit to the park last week.
Forest ranger of Makum Forest Guard School, GunajitTalukdar has been posted as ranger of Kaziranga'sAgoratoli forest range, while ranger of Agoratoli range Salim Ahmed has been transferred to Karimganj forest division.
Forest ranger of Karimganj forest division, Kushal Kumar Deka has been posted as ranger of Kaziranga'sBagori range, while ACF Raman Das has been relieved of the charge of Bagori range.
On the other hand, deputy conservator of forest (DCF) PallabDeka, who is attached to the office of Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), has been posted as DCF attached to the Kaziranga director office.
Also DCF AltamasBaig, attached to the PCCF (Wildlife) office, has been posted as DCF attached to the Kaziranga director office.
