January 08, 2025 09:21 am (IST)
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Assam to form special force to protect rhino
Guwahati, July 1 (IBNS): To protect one horned rhinoceros and fight against poachers, Assam government will form a Special Rhino Protection Force.
During the inaugural function of the week long 65th Van Mahotsav held at Gauhati University, Assam Forest Minister said that, the state government has taken initiative to protect wild animals including one horned rhinoceros and to fight against poachers.
Poachers had killed 11 rhinos including 9 alone in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in the state in this year so far.
Speaking on the occasion, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the identity of Assam across the world is its greenery and advocated for a synergistic approach between the government and the people to increase its green cover.
“Deforestation being perpetrated by various vicious circles posed a great challenge to our society and we need to deal with it unitedly. Annual celebrations of Van Mahotsav give us an opportunity to lend our hands in plantations and increase our green covers and we need to take the celebrations to every nook and corner of Assam,” Sonowal said.
Sonowal also asked the Forest Department to popularise scientific explanations of Van Mahotsav and help everybody to realise the need for trees in society.
Terming trees as the economic backbone of the State, Sonowal called upon everybody to work on a mission mode to plant saplings and increase green cover and contribute towards a flourishing state economy.
To imbibe love for the trees, Sonowal also urged upon parents to gift saplings to their children on birthdays. This would enable their children to generate love for trees, nature and environment.
Emphasising that ‘Rhinos as the pride of Assam’, Sonowal called upon all sections of the people of the State to come forward and work as a deterrent against rhino poaching.
The Assam CM also requested them to consider ‘rhino protection’ as their ‘state duty’.
Sonowal also spoke on the need for a strong public opinion to protect and preserve the flora and fauna of Assam and exhorted on the need for a resolution to protect the rich biodiversity of the State.
Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma urged upon all sections of the people of the State to join hands for increasing the green cover and stop rhino poaching.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Darash Mathur, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests Sanjeeva Kumar, Rector, Gauhati University Hari Prasad Sharma along with a host of dignitaries were present on the occasion.
The intention of this annual celebration is to improve the green cover, especially in un-forested areas.
Started in 1950 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Van Mahotsav gives an opportunity to concerned department and other stake holders to accelerate their efforts in conserving forests and environment.
The State Forest Department has announced to plant 1.25 crore saplings over 6800 hectare of degraded forest areas across the State in this year.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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