Encroachers set up small huts within the Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Oct. 10: The apathy of the Assam forest department may prove to be the nemesis of the Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary, which is fighting against all odds to regain its old glory.

A source said the Western Assam Wildlife Division, under which the sanctuary falls, had taken several steps to strengthen the protection network of the national park. But all the good work would be undone if the sanctuary did not receive support from the state forest department.

“We have submitted proposals to the forest department thrice in less than a year, but there has been no response. Leave alone funds, the department has not provided any kind of support,” the source said.

The sanctuary needs more than Rs 1 crore for its maintenance, but does not even have the money to pay the homeguards this month. “We are living a hand-to-mouth existence and do not know how long this will continue,” the source said.

Listing work done and pending at the sanctuary, the source said one of the first things the Western Assam Wildlife Division did was to activate the wireless network.

He said they had unsuccessfully requested several organisations for wireless sets and had to finally borrow the sets and arms from the Nameri tiger reserve.

The road from Kalamati to Kamengbari has also been regulated, making entry to the park without prior permission difficult.

A protection camp has been built to accommodate 30 people with last year’s funds. But this is the only camp the park has.

The staff now gets subsidised ration under a government scheme. The forest personnel have also been given searchlights, torches, hunter shoes as incentives.

The park has 35 forest guards, two sections of homeguards and a platoon of Assam police at present.

The platoon, however, will be withdrawn soon, necessitating more homeguards.

Besides, the park has only one jeep for patrolling and needs at least two more.

“The posting of paramilitary forces or the army requires permission from the ministry of defence. The chief minister will have to write and ask for this,” the source said.

Organised felling of trees has been going on in the sanctuary since 1994, but the department has remained a mute spectator to this, he added.

He also said that the buildings inside the sanctuary were in a bad shape and may collapse at any time.

The Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary is located in the northwestern part of Sonitpur district, adjoining Arunachal Pradesh. It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1998 with an area of 220 square km.

The area is bound by the river Pachnoi in the west and Jia-Gabharu in the east, Doimara reserve forest to the north and Charduar reserve forest, which also falls under Sonitpur district, in the south.

Of the 220 square km, only 135 square km is with the forest department. The rest has been encroached upon, with the eastern and southern ends of the sanctuary facing the maximum pressure. According to the state forest department, their number is at least 12,000. The encroachers have built entire villages of thatched houses and set up small markets.