Forest guards in Assam given modern weapons to check Rhino poaching

In a major initiative for wildlife protection, forest guards in Assam were today given modern weapons like SLRs and 9 MM pistols, to check poaching of rhinos, tigers and other wild animals. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said for the first time in the country, 10 wildlife fast-track courts were set up to exclusively deal with poaching and other related crimes against wild animals. "We have put protection of wildlife in high priority. Accordingly, we have today launched a new programme - modernisation of arms and equipment for protection, rescue and rehabilitation of rhinos, tigers and other wildlife," he told PTI. According to the plan, forest guards were given 954 Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), 272 INSAS rifles, 133 rifles of .12 bore, 20 of 9 MM pistols and 91 Ghatak rifles. The chief minister said ever since the BJP came to power in Assam nearly two years ago, 197 poachers were arrested and eight were killed by security guards while as many as 59 poachers were convicted for their crimes against wildlife. Sonowal said wildlife fast-track courts were set up in 10 districts and such courts were set up for the first time in the country. "We hope that speedy trial and conviction of poachers will go a long way for protection of wildlife in the state," he said. Assam has five national parks and 19 wildlife sanctuaries.

The state is home to more than 91 per cent of Indian rhinos (2,431 rhinos as per 2015 census). It is also home to 167 tigers, 248 leopards, 1,169 Swamp deer besides a large number of wild buffaloes, different varieties of deer and other animals. According to an estimate tabled in the state Assembly this month, altogether 74 rhinos were killed by poachers in Assam since 2015 and 316 poachers arrested during 2015-17.

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