NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Jan 22 – The conservationist groups of North Lakhimpur have reiterated their long-standing demand for upgrading the Dooloong Reserve Forest of the Lakhimpur district to a sanctuary.
This was stated by its secretary general Dr Prabal Saikia and president Prof Aroon Kr Bardoloi in a congratulatory letter addressed to the Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Dept of Environment and Forest, Govt of Assam.
Green Heritage has lauded the CCF (Wildlife)’s announcement. The CCF(W) Mohan Ch Malakar had made a public statement during the opening session of the 39th State Conference of Assam Forest Workers’ Association here on December 21, in which he said that the government would take necessary steps to upgrade the Reserve Forest.
Situated at the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh in Lakhimpur district and stretching from Ranganadi river to Subansiri river in an area of 40 kms, the Dooloong Reserve Forest is home to wild elephants, bears, deer, wild boars, hornbills, long-tailed langoors and a large variety of birds.
It also has the exotic Chiyan Nahar, creeper bamboo, Titachapa, Bagi-Parua, Aamari, Jootooli and many valuable trees. This forest cover, which also includes the Kakoi Reserve Forest, has however been exposed to tree felling, poaching and illegal encroachment over the years. The extension of human settlement through encroachment pauses a great threat to the forest land.
Green Heritage has been expressing the apprehension that there would be a legal bar in evicting human settlements in this reserve forest after the stipulated date of February 28, 2009, as per the ordinance of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt of India.
According to the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dewellers Act-2006, all occupants of forest lands would get permission to stay permanently on those lands.
For this reason, Green Heritage solicits speedy implementation of the announcement to declare Dooloong Reserve Forest a sanctuary by starting the necessary administrative steps concerned.
The group expressed the optimism that the declaration to upgrade the Dooloong Reserve Forest will save it from growing encroachment by Arunachal Pradesh and enable it to maintain its rich natural and ecological diversity.
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