Guwahati, June 23: The state government has agreed to the formation of three new wildlife sanctuaries to bring more forest areas under government protection. The decision has been taken despite the fact that the government is facing funds and manpower shortage. Addressing a press conference today, forest minister Pradyut Bordoloi said the government has issued final notification to three new wildlife sanctuaries — Amsang, Barail and Dihing Patkai. The total area under the three sanctuaries is 516 square km.
“All the demands of NGOs for creating wildlife sanctuaries cannot be met and many issues had to be taken into consideration before the assent was finally given,” said Bordoloi.
The total area of all the wildlife sanctuaries in Assam including the above three is 3,925 square km. The Amsang wildlife sanctuary, comprising Amsang, South Amsang and Khanapara reserve forests, will also be the first wildlife sanctuary in the state capital.
The second sanctuary will be in South Assam’s Cachar district and named Barail sanctuary.
The Dihing Patkai wildlife sanctuary, comprising Joypur, Upper Dihing and Patkai, is near the Arunachal Pradesh border.
The minister also admitted that there was manpower shortage. There are 750 vacancies for the frontline wildlife staff, forcing authorities to opt for rationalisation and redeployment of personnel. The last appointment made in the forest department was in 1992.
Bordoloi said the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India would conduct a baseline study on wildlife diversity.
“We can increase the area of the wildlife sanctuaries if the baseline study of the Wildlife Institute of India finds that there are more wildlife varieties than expected,” Bordoloi added.
Last year, the government had also agreed to the creation of five elephant reserves to protect elephant corridors.