GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that State government has decided to increase forest reserve of the State by another two thousand square kilometre. Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the 66th Wildlife Week at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here on Wednesday, Sonowal said that Assam which is famous for its clean and green ambience has to be restrengthened with this new addition.
He also said that State government would also set up an Institute of Wild Life Health and Research at Dinjan in Dibrugarh district. Moreover, like in Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, all the wild life sanctuaries and reserve forests camps would be provided with solar lights and smart phones.
Taking on the previous government for not doing anything substantial for stopping the rhino poaching, Chief Minister Sonowal said that under the erstwhile government, the poachers turned the national parks and wild life sanctuaries into their pasture lands. However, the present State government immediately after coming to power took proactive steps for stopping rhino poaching. During the present State government's rule, 240 poachers were handed exemplary punishments by setting up 10 fast track courts, stated a release.
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