Non- Functioning Cameras in Kaziranga Causes Concern Among Wildlife Enthusiasts

GUWAHATI: Non-functioning sensor cameras installed on five animal corridors in Kaziranga National Park (KNP), an UNSECO world heritage site famed for one-horned rhinos, is causing concern among wildlife conservationists.

A letter to that effect was written to the Assam chief secretary on Tuesday by RTI activist Rohit Choudhury, asking him to intervene in the matter.

Six speed-sensing cameras, equipped with ‘Automatic Number Plate Recognising (ANPR)’ radar, were installed by the Kaziranga authorities in June last year. The high-tech cameras were set up at an cost of around Rs 16 crore in the designated animal corridors of Kaziranga- Panbari, Haldhibari, Deosure and Amguri.

The cameras are meant to detect the speed of vehicles crossing through the 44-km Rangalu to Borjuri stretch on the NH-37. These were installed following the orders of the National Green Tribunal. The park authorities were ordered to set up the cameras so that the vehicles plying on this stretch at a speed above 40 km/hr can be penalised.

Choudhury wrote in the letter to the chief secretary, “The undersigned recently came to know from the news reports that the six cameras with ANPR Radars, installed at a huge cost in the animal corridors on the National Highway 37 passing through the Kaziranga National Park, were left non-functional starting from 1st February 2023.”

The company that was engaged for the installation and operation of the cameras reportedly stopped its service from February. Choudhury alleged that the park authorities did not release the payment to the company, which led to the situation now being faced by the park authorities.

KNP director Jatindra Sarma said that efforts are on to make the sensor cameras operational. He said he was hopeful of making these cameras operational before the floods arrive and animals cross through these corridors to reach higher ground.

Sarma blamed a technical glitch for which the cameras have remained non- functional for over one month.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday (May 24), a conference regarding reported discrepancies in the estimation of rhinos in Kaziranga National Park will be held between representatives of the Assam forest department and the Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry.

The conference will be attended by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), the Head of the Forest Force (HoFF), the Chief Wild Life Warden, the Director of Kaziranga National Park (KNP), the evaluators of the rhino enumeration exercise in KNP, and the SPIO of the rhino enumeration exercise in KNP.

The Addl. Director General of Forests & Director, of Wild Life Preservation will preside over the meeting, according to a notice from Rakesh Kumar Jagenia, Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife) of the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change ministry.

An earlier request for a "factual report" from the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of Assam was made by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on February 19 in response to a complaint made by Assam environmental activist Rohit Choudhury alleging discrepancies in the estimation of the rhinos in Kaziranga National Park.

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