Kokrajhar, Dec. 22: Eviction operations at Manas National Park's Bhuyanpara range went off peacefully today, unlike in Kaziranga where two persons had died in police firing in September.
In another development, a Muslim delegation, led by Congress MLA Abdul Khaleque, met chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal here this evening and expressed serious concern over the alleged inhuman manner in which the Darrang district administration carried out the eviction at Sipajhar yesterday to clear government lands.
Manas field director H.K. Sarma said the eviction at Bhuyanpara, the eastern range of the park, was carried out this morning in a 16 square km area using 16 elephants, JCB machines, over 500 personnel from Assam police and CRPF, forest staff as well as district administration officials.
Around 600 temporary sheds, built illegally inside the range, were razed during the operation undertaken at Dihira, Betbari, Khoirbari, Hadan, Agrang, Panda and Maozi camp areas.
Sarma said notices had been served to the encroachers, who are mostly from the neighbouring villages, last month.
The encroachers had set up temporary huts and cleared the area for cultivation but they left after the notices were served and there were no protests today, he added.
"I am happy that the eviction operation was finally undertaken without any problem. The cooperation from the administration and the police was commendable and there was sufficient police force to tackle any situation," he said.
The park had informed the World Heritage Committee that it would carry out the eviction by December. The WHC had asked the park authorities to carry out encroachment at Bhuyanpara range and to report on the steps being taken to prevent further encroachment.
Sarma said they have chalked out an action plan to stop fresh encroachment, including erecting boundary pillars and digging trenches to demarcate the park boundary.
He said the grasslands at Bhuyanpara, which are cleared by villagers from nearby areas for cultivation, are the best for rhinos, pygmy hogs and elephants and, therefore, need to be protected.
Besides, five of the 10 rhinos in Manas were poached in the Bhuyanpara range in the last few years. This year, the park lost two rhinos, one of them in Bhuyanpara range.
He said they would deploy a section of Eco-Task Force (Indian Territorial Army) at Betbari in Bhuyanpara to help restore the animal habitat. Eighteen eco-development committees have been formed in the fringe areas of the park's Bansbari and Bhuyanpara ranges. The park authorities have informed the WHC that an IUCN supported livelihood support programme has been started in the fringe areas which will help the park authorities garner cooperation and support of the villagers residing nearby.
