Assam: No reports of syndicate in protected forest areas: Forest Minister Chandramohan Patowary

Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on the fourth day of the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly asked the state forest minister Chandramohan Patowary details of the existing national parks, protest forest and wildlife reserves and steps initiated by the government to protect the areas. 

Answering on the floor of the House, minister Chandramohan Patowary said that Assam currently has a total of 7 national parks, 17 sanctuaries and 318 reserved forests. 

Debabrata Saikia while asking details of the total area brought under the national parks and wildlife reserves, minister Patowary said that a total of 42,601 hectares of land has been added to the wildlife reserves since 2016, but there has been no reduction in its land area. The list of the amount of land area added to the wildlife reserve is mentioned in the attached Appendix 'A'.

Additionally, the minister while responding to the question raised by Saikia on whether there has been any reports of deforestation or syndicate in the protected areas and steps initiated by the government to stop such illegal activities, said that there has been no deforestation in the national parks, sanctuaries and protected forests of Assam. The government has been following the Supreme Courts direction for protection of Kaziranga National Park and various other reserved forests. 

"Following the order of Hon'ble Gauhati High Court, dated 24.11.2022 (Review Pet./101/2022 in PIL No. 62/2019), a Forest Protection Force was constituted under the Sivasagar Forest Division and joint patrolling arrangements were made in sensitive areas with the Police Administration. The copy of the Forest Protection Force constituted in the order dated 24.11.2022 of the Hon'ble Gauhati High Court is shown in the annexed volume (Office Onder No. 652-A dtd. 12.12.2022). A notice of Section 144 was issued by SDO (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) Nazira Sub-Division to stop illegal stone quarry syndicate", added minister Chandra Mohan Patowary

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