BILASIPARA, May 5 – The Minister of Forests, Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi has declared the Hakama Beel near here in the district of Dhubri as a bird sanctuary and community conserved reserve. Sri Bordoloi, who visited the beel on the occasion of celebration of ‘Gachh Bihu’ Asom, and Hakama Beel Bird Sanctuary Demand Committee on May 2 praised the two NGOs for rendering conservation services towards the beel to which every winter several thousands of migratory birds like pelicans, sarali hanh and other birds come and make the beel their temporary abode.
The NGOs had to take the initiative for declaring the beel a sanctuary following construction of a brick field by some traders in league with a section of greedy officials near the proposed bird sanctuary, as a fallout of which, the billowing of huge black smoke and wastes released by the brick industry prevented the migratory birds from visiting the beel last winter. The same may recur in future also. The Minister, who was apprised by the NGOs about the threat posed by the brick field on the beel, took the ‘Gachh Bihu’ celebration an opportunity to declare it as the sanctuary.
Sri Bordoloi, while addressing the meeting appealed to the people of Hakama and Bilasipara to extend all help and co-operation for the community conservation of the ecology and assured of all possible help and assistance from the Forest Department to them.
Earlier, Sri Pranab Das hoisted the Bihu flag while Forests Minister Bordoloi planted saplings and the joint secretary, Department of Forests, Assam offered bihuwan to a tree. The meeting held with Sri Nasker Ali in the chair was addressed among others by the Chief Conservator of Forests Sri MC Malakar and other high officials of the Department.