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MANGALDAI: "Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONPTR), with its zero poaching record since 2017, is the ideal and beautiful habitat of the one-horned rhino. Though the area is only 78.82 sq km, yet the rhino population is 101. The Park is also a glaring example of the change achieved by the BJP-led State Government which assured to take strict action against poaching," said State Forest and Environment Minister Parimal Suklabaidya while taking part in the State Forest department-sponsored World Rhino Day celebration, centrally organized at Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve on Tuesday. He also congratulated all ranks of the Park for their dedicated service for conservation of the Park.
At the same time, he stressed the need of necessary patronization on the part of the Forest department to promote its untapped tourism potential at the national and international level. "We have seen that the set-up of the tourism department here in the Park is now in a poor condition due to lack of proper maintenance. If they are unable to maintain it well we have manpower to look after it properly. It is very necessary to promote its unexplored tourism potential at the appropriate level," added minister Suklabaidya. He also spoke on the measures taken by the present State Government to improve the different parameters to assess its performance, including successfully curbing rhino poaching with the support from the civil and police administration, besides local people surrounding the forest.
Earlier, Mangaldai legislator Guru Jyoti Das released a comic book titled Orang Katha to sensitize people about rhino conservation right from childhood and lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the beginning of the celebration. The Forest Department offered public felicitation to altogether six persons - three from the department and three from the locality, including journalist and wildlife conservationist Abdul Aziz -in recognition of their service towards rhino conservation while sets of umbrella and raincoat were distributed each to the 11 Eco Development Committees (EDC) of the locality.
The function, moderated by senior journalist Bhargab Kumar Das, was attended by several prominent persons, including BJP MLAs Gurujyoti Das and Ganesh Limbu respectively, Principal Secretary of the State Forest Department, Avinash Joshi, both the PCCFs Amit Sahai and AM Singh and Darrang Deputy Commissioner Dilip Kumar Borah. Cultural rendition by the students of Gelabil High School also marked the celebration.
Also watch: Assam Celebrates World Rhino Day