Animal Welfare news from Northeast India

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Laws do not prevent animal sacrifice: Gogoi

 

By a Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 4: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has today stressed the

need for creating consciousness among the common people against the

animal sacrifice in religious ceremonies.

" Personally I am against the practice of animal sacrifice at

religious places, " he said, while interacting with the media in the

sideline of the State-level function held to mark the 52nd Wildlife

Week at the Assam State Zoo complex here today. He, however, said

the existing laws do not prevent such religious practices.

Gogoi said this in reference to the recent hue and cry raised by

concerned circles over the incident of sacrificing a buffalo at

Billeswar temple in Nalbari on the Mahanabami day. It may be

mentioned here that the Asom chapter of the People's for Animals has

lodged a complaint at Nalbari PS against Nalbari SP Dilip Kumar Dey

for his sacrificing a buffalo.

Sangeeta Goswami, chairperson of the organization, demanded

punishment for Dey under the provision of Section 11 of the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. She has already placed

the demand before the State Government as well as the Centre,

organization sources said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Yuba Morcha (BJYM) has today come

down heavily on Goswami on the issue. Jayanta Kumar Das, BJYM

president, alleged that Goswami is trying to exploit the issue for

her political gain, and so she did not hesitate to hurt the

religious sentiments of the Hindus. " Law is not above the religion, "

he remarked.

The BJYM leader said if Goswami claims herself to be a real animal

lover, then why she is silent on the regular killings of animals,

including cows, for various purposes throughout the State.

 

Man-elephant conflict worries Government

 

By a Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 4: Asom Government's concern over the ever-increasing

man-elephant conflict in the State has been reflected in the State-

level function held at the Assam State Zoo here today to mark the

52nd Wildlife Week which commenced from October 1. Chief Minister

Tarun Gogoi, who attended the function as the chief guest, stressed

the need for reducing the man-elephant conflict and maintenance of

ecological balance.

He said rampant deforestation leads to the increasing man-elephant

conflict and that needs to be checked. Emphasizing on the need for

peaceful coexistence of men and animals, the Chief Minister said

NGOs and younger generation should play a vital role to create

awareness in this regard.

Asom Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said more discussions

involving the local people and experts are needed to evolve a

scientific approach to put an end to man-elephant conflict in the

State. He said that such a discussion was held at the Kaziranga

National Park (KNP) recently.

Describing man-elephant conflict as a man-made problem, Principal

Chief Conservator of Forest Sonaram Doley said rampant encroachment

in various forest areas in Goalpara, Golaghat and Sonitpur has

decreased the forest cover of Asom drastically. He called for a

pragmatic approach for an early solution of the problem.

Meanwhile, the State Government has taken up various measures for

modernization of the Assam State Zoo, to make it one of the best

zoos of the country. This was announced by the Chief Minister. He

said, the Dharmapal Satyapal group has already provided Rs 1.5 crore

for modernization of the State Zoo. Other institutions, including

Oil India Ltd and the ONGC, should come forward in this regard, he

added.

The Chief Minister distributed certificates among the forest guards

and village guards for their services of excellence. Prizes for

school quiz and painting competitions were also distributed in the

function.

Releasing a booklet named A Glimpse of National Parks and Wildlife

Sanctuaries in Assam, published by the Assam Forest Department,

Gogoi expressed the hope that the book would properly highlight the

wildlife tourism potential of the State and attract a large number

of tourists and wildlife lovers to Asom.

 

 

Cop caught hunting inside Biological Park

 

ITANAGAR, Oct 4: A police official was caught while he was trying to

flee after killing a jungle fowl inside the Biological Park under

Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary here yesterday, police said today.

According to deputy wildlife warden Chukhu Loma, the accused was a

constable with the Arunanchal Police Battalion. The forest officials

have seized one 12 bore gun with 13 live cartridges used in the

alleged hunting operation from the accused. A case under Wildlife

Protection Act 1872 for trespass, hunting and killing of wild

animals had been registered against him, police said. The accused

was remanded to police custody under wildlife law.

Earlier, one of the four tigers present in the same park died in

February due to poisoning, sources said. Loma said keeping in view

the two incidents, security has been beefed up in the park. UNI