More forces to fight encroachers and poachers in Assam: CM Sarma

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 7, 2024

Assam has increased its forest protection force by 120 per cent to fight encroachers and poachers, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.

Attending a passing out parade of the Assam Forest Protection Force at a colourful programme held at Lachit Borphukan Police Academy at Dergaon on Wednesday, Sarma said that with the induction of 940 new constables, the strength of Assam’s Forest Protection Force has increased by 120 per cent.

Sarma said the passing out parade is a moment of pride and achievement for the recruits. After going through rigorous training to attain physical and mental competence, the new constables have become assets of the state. These new recruits after going through training in several places of the state, culminated their training with advanced induction training at the police academy.

“With the induction of new constables, a new milestone is achieved. With the substantial number of women appointees, the recruits are adequately empowered to fight encroachers and poachers,” Sarma said.

Sarma said that the total forest area in Assam is 26,832 sq km which is 34.21 per cent of the total geographic areas of the state. With seven national parks and 17 wildlife sanctuaries, Assam is blessed with its unique wildlives along with biodiversities. For the safety and protection of these wildlife resources, an adequate number of forest protection forces are required.

The Chief Minister said the first Assam Forest Protection Force was raised in 1984. Stating that since large areas of the forest land of Assam share inter-state boundaries, more forces are required for their protection. He said that the Forest Protection Forces should work as a deterrent against the inimical forces that are hell-bent on causing damage to the forest resources.

He said that the recruits would empower the Forest Protection Forces to not only protect and preserve the forest resources, but they will also help preserve the rich biodiversity of the state.

Sarma said that in the last three years, all the recruitments in state government departments have happened very transparently, where all the competent students have been able to get jobs with the help of their merits. Referring to the sentence of imprisonment of the former Chairman and members of APSC for their unfair practices in giving jobs, the Chief Minister said that their punishment is an indication that Assam has entered into a new era of honesty and transparency. Now these appointments, which are the testimony of sheer merits and transparency have generated faith and trust among the youth in the system, Sarma added.

The Chief Minister also said that another six hundred Forest Protection Forces will be recruited by next February. He also said that the new building of Lachit Borphukan Police Academy will be dedicated in October.

Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, MLAs Taranga Gogoi and Bhabendra Nath Bharali, DGP GP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Political) AK Tiwari, Special Chief Secretary (Forest) MK Yadava and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.