Sonai-Rupai sanctuary in grip of encroachers

TEZPUR, February 1: In an apparent bid to increase the Bodo population at the proposed Bodoland area on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Sonitpur district Bodo persons are once again daily flocking from Kokrajhar and Darrang districts and are encroaching the virgin land at Sonai-Rupai game sanctuary, 45 kms from here in Sonitpur district. With 220 sq kms are and declared as the second core of the Nameri tiger reserve (under Nameri National Park) the encroachers have started deforesting the area despite the State Government and Forest Department efforts to dissuade them from doing so. Talking to The Assam Tribune, official sources of Tezpur forest division here said that the encroachments by the tribal is a common phenomenon in the Batasipur reserve forest, Balipara reserve forest, Belsiri reserve forest and in Chariduar reserve forest in Sonitpur district resulting in heavy felling of trees. The situation is volatile as the Bodo groups are flocking once again from Kokrajhar and Darrang districts and are allegedly helped by the Bodo militants and leaders in grabbing the forest land the sources said. About 200 hectares of forest land inside the Balipara reserve forest have already been encroached by the Bodos as well as the Arunachalis, the sources said adding that Nameri National Park, the third national park of the State too have not been spared by the encroachers. The sources alleged that once the anti-encroachment drives get carried out in the reserve forests, the anti-encroachers manage to get injunction from the Court. According to Forest department report about 2257 sq km of the State's total forest area has been illegally occupied over the past few years and satellite pictures further confirmed that the Gohpur reserve forest and Nambar (south) reserve forest has hardly any forest cover left. Assam ranks first amongst the seven sisters in the degradation of the forest (447 sq kms) followed by Mizoram (121 sq km) the official said adding that on the other hand States like Rajasthan has increased the forest cover by 181 sq km. Sources also said that at least 43 tigers were counted last year in the Sonai-Rupai game sanctuary informed the Sonai-Rupai sanctuary is the only sanctuary in the country after the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park where the presence of both rare white winged wood duck and Bengal florican are found. Apart from that many endangered species like the adjutant stork, wreathed hornbill, Indian pied hornbill, great pied hornbill, hill maina etc are also recorded here. An estimated Rs one crore project has been submitted to the Central Government for the development of infrastructure, camps and others of the sanctuary, the sources said adding that United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington-DC has sanctioned an amount of 35 thousand US dollar for the various development activities of Sonai-Rupai sanctuary. However Ajay Sarma, general secretary, Nature's Banya Pran, an NGO working here for the preservation of the flora and fauna while talking to this scribe said that the Assam Government should take appropriate steps immediately as few years ago the Batasipur reserve forest under Dhekiajuli revenue circle in Sonitpur district witnessed a heavy felling of trees after hordes of Bodo groups from Kokrajhar, Dhemaji, Darrang, North Lakhimpur etc encroached the Batasipur reserve forest and started deforesting.