On the occasion of World Environment Day, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday declared Raimona as the sixth National Park of Assam.
Informing about the decision of the Assam government, chief minister Sarma said process has been underway to upgrade the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to a national park.
“Govt has decided to upgrade Raimona Sanctuary in BTR to a National Park; work is also underway to give national park status to Dehing Patkai,” chief minister Sarma tweeted.
On the occasion of the World Environment Day, chief minister Sarma visited Gandhi Mandap in Guwahati.
He planted 11 Rudraksh saplings at Gandhi Mandap.
“Coronavirus pandemic has taught us to be responsible towards our environment. Planting saplings is a firm step towards ecosystem restoration. On World Environment Day, pleased to have planted 11 Rudraksh saplings at Gandhi Mandap, Guwahati,” Sarma tweeted.
He also urged the youth of the state to “plant more trees and work towards protecting environment by embracing sustainable practices following ideals of Mahatma Gandhi”.
After declaring Raimona as a national park, Sarma tweeted: “A Giant Step by Govt of Assam towards fufilling UN vision of Ecosystem Restoration. New national park in BTR declared on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Raimona National Park is located in Kachugaon forest division under Gossaigaon sub-division in Assam’s Kokrajhar district.
It is famous for Golden Langur, the pride of Bodoland.
Asian elephant, tiger, clouded leopard, Indian gaur, wild buffalo, spotted deer, hornbill, more than 150 species of butterflies, 170 species of birds, 380 species of plants and several species of orchids are available in this national park.
Govt has decided to upgrade Raimona Sanctuary in BTR to a National Park; work is also underway to give national park status to Dehing Patkai. Science & Technology Department of Sate Govt is being rechristened as Dept of Science, Technology and Climate Change, from today.
2/3 pic.twitter.com/yOF1jhvPOM
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 5, 2021
In November 2020, Assam forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya had released a map of the new national park.
The 422-sq km Ripu reserve forest will now be known as Raimona National Park.
The five other national parks in Assam are – Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Nameri National Park, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Orang National Park.
Ripu reserve forest was earlier part of the buffer zone of Manas National Park bordering Bhutan.