Illegal Activities Pose Threat To Biodiversity of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary

NUMALIGARH: The Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary is well known for its rich bio-diversity. The districts of Golaghat and Karbi Anglong share portions of the reserved forest. Various factors like over-exploitation of natural resources have led to environmental degradation.

Illegally-run saw mills, expansion of tea gardens, encroachment of forest areas for human settlement or agricultural purposes are adversely affecting the fauna and flora of the area.

In most of the border areas of Golaghat and Karbi Anglong like Toklangpu and others, illegal over-extraction of sand and gravel is going on. The massive destruction of natural resources and deforestation are not unknown to the forest department. There are also allegations that some of the Forest department personnel are helping those carrying on such illegal activities rather than protecting the forests and natural resources.

Massive encroachment in the Upper Doigrung and Lower Doigrung forest areas (under Nambor Reserve Forest) is causing much damage to wildlife. As a result, human- elephant conflict is on the rise in most parts of the Numaligarh area. In recent times, there has been a rise in incidents of brutal killing of wild elephants, deer and other animals that comes out of the forest area in search of food. During the agricultural season, human-elephant conflict is at its peak, especially in areas like Rangajan, Thurajan, Murphulani, Dholaguri, Rangbong and Lettekubasti.

Sharp-edged blade fencing and narrow canals in most of the corridors are nightmares for the elephants. Tea gardens use these deadly fences on elephant corridors illegally and the forest department is totally silent about it. The Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary harbours 51 rare species of orchids; it is also home to elephants, Hoolock Gibbon, stump-tailed macaque, pig-tailed macaque, slow loris, Assamese macaque, rhesus macaque, tiger, leopard, fishing cat, barking deer, sambar, wild pigs, gaur, great pied hornbill, hill myna, imperial pigeon and green pigeon. Nature lovers and other environment conservation groups and NGOs are demanding immediate intervention of government authorities to protect Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary from illegal activities.

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