Guwahati: Demanding strong actions to protect the wildlife in Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, the locals have declared a series of protest demonstrations.
They also urge the authorities to punish the guilty and inefficient forest officials who failed to perform their duties because of which many animals fell prey to poachers in the last few months.
Assam celebrated 2022 as a zero-rhinoceros-poaching year, which drew attention from the international media and global celebrities.
However, the running year has reported two incidents relating to the poaching of precious one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and the latest one in Manas, where the skeleton of a horn rhino was recovered by the staff of the national park in lower Assam.
Though the incident came to the notice in June, the rhino was seemingly killed in May itself and its prized horn went missing. The incident sparked a series of protests by the local environment and wildlife enthusiasts against the Manas authority for its failure in protecting the wildlife.
Meanwhile, a group of youths shaved their heads publicly on July 9 to show solidarity with the cause of wildlife conservation.
Following the call of the Greater Manas Conservation and Tourism Development Society, a bike rally was organized on Wednesday, which was later postponed following the police persuasion.
However, the locals have decided to organize a massive rally on Saturday as Assam Governor GC Kataria plans to visit Manas on that day.
Bubul Nath, president of the society, asserted that in a few months, a number of tigers, elephants, wild buffalo, deer and pygmy hogs were killed by the poachers. He apprehended that some forest officials might have been involved in these killings.
The society urged the Assam government and Bodoland territorial council authorities to keep the villagers at the fringe areas in confidence and reiterated the primary demand to protect the wildlife.
Manas, a UNESCO world heritage site, is home to around 45 rhinos with a host of other inmates.
“The protests by the locals are a clear indication of their frustration with the authorities failure to protect the wildlife in Manas National Park. The authorities need to take immediate action to address the concerns of the locals and ensure the safety of the animals in the park,” said a wildlife activist.