(IN): Manas National Park

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Linlk: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=jun0107\edit1*

 

EDITORIAL*

*Manas National Park

— * *M*anas National Park, which represents a pristine ecosystem sheltering

a wide range of flora and fauna including many endemic ones, had faced a

grave threat in the 1990s due to a prolonged period of social unrest. It was

the darkest phase in the history of the celebrated Park, and its future

seemed destined for the worst with poachers and the timber mafia having a

field day, destructing forest wealth at will. The continued government

apathy ensured that things did not improve even after the social unrest

subsided totally. However, when it seemed that Manas was almost a lost

cause, things started to brighten up slowly for the World Heritage Site.

Pressures from the media, conservation groups, etc., contributed a lot

towards the Park getting renewed attention from the authorities. The

newly-created Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) also took some initiative

in restoring normalcy in the Park. The past three-four years witnessed a

tourism boom in Manas, confirming that it was well into the path of

recovery. The ambitious rhino translocation programme, too, started with a

few rhinos brought from Kaziranga. While Manas seems to have left behind its

troubled past, a number of problem areas such as poor road connectivity,

inadequate infrastructure and staff, etc. remain and call for urgent

intervention from the Government. The road to Manas has been in a state of

perennial decay – something that speaks volumes about the attention this

premier national park and a World Heritage Site is getting from the

authorities. Another immediate need is to get all the lost camps rebuilt, as

it is having a debilitating impact on the security of the Park. The dearth

of staff, especially frontline personnel, is another threat to its security,

and the vacant posts need to be filled up immediately. Ensuring swift

movement of the forest personnel is critical to the success of conservation

in any protected area, and the Park authorities must be provided with

sufficient number of vehicles, wireless sets, etc. The road network inside

the Park also needs to be revamped. Poaching has been a big irritant in

Manas and it has been found that many local people are involved in this

nefarious practice. While putting in place a foolproof security mechanism is

a must, efforts should also be made to get the local community involved in

the conservation process. Local NGOs and student bodies besides the Forest

Department can play a key role in creating awareness on conservation and

secure the support of the local communities, as has been done at Kokilabari

on the eastern fringe of Manas. Manas is part of our precious natural

heritage, and it is imperative that all of us join hand in preserving it for

posterity.