(IN): Ex gratia for rhino victims’ families

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Link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070516/asp/northeast/story_7783705.asp

 

Ex gratia for rhino victims' families

- Officials seek support from villagers, promise changes at Pabitora

 

A STAFF REPORTER

 

Guwahati, May 15: The Assam government yesterday paid ex gratia of Rs

40,000 each to five families who lost their loved ones in rhino

attacks near Pabitora wildlife sanctuary since 2002.

 

At a programme held at Pabitora yesterday, Morigaon deputy

commissioner S. Hussain appreciated the efforts made by local people

to conserves rhinos and protect the sanctuary. He appealed to the

residents to work in tandem with the forest department to preserve the

sanctity of Pabitora.

 

During the programme, Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation society,

donated 15 wireless handsets and three wireless base stations to the

sanctuary, in association with the UK-based David Shepherd Wildlife

Foundation.

 

The equipment will help the park authorities track and protect rhinos.

 

The resources to sponsor the equipment were generated from the

European Association of Zoo Aquarium, through their Save the Rhino

International campaign.

 

Parliamentary secretary of state, public works department, Bibekananda

Doley, assured that the road leading to Pabitora would be repaired soon.

 

" This will enable tourists to visit the sanctuary, bringing some

revenue to the government. It will also provide an opportunity to

unemployed youths to be part of the growing tourism industry, " said

Doley, who is also the Jagiroad MLA.

 

Lauding Aaranyak for its gesture, Doley appealed to the villagers not

to let cattle stray into the sanctuary.

 

Appreciating the villagers living on the park fringes for chipping in

to protect the endangered animals, M.C. Malakar, chief wildlife warden

of Assam, called for more support to the forest staff.

 

" Electric fencing will be installed in parts of the sanctuary to

prevent rhinos and buffaloes from wandering out into the villages, " he

said.

 

The secretary general of Aaranyak, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, was also

present at the function, attended by Surojit Dutta and A.C. Das, the

divisional forest officers of the Guwahati and Nagaon wildlife

divisions respectively.

 

P.K. Sarma and Ashok Dey of Aaranyak were also present. Over 150

villagers attended the programme.