3,000 hectares of forest land to be added to Kaziranga

Jorhat: The Assam government on Thursday approved the addition of 3,000 hectares of forest land to the area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Park director P Shivakumar said, “The government has approved the addition of three new areas to Kaziranga and published the notifications. The new three additions will be known as 7th, 8th and 9th additions with areas of 176 hectares, 307 hectares and 2,570 hectares of lands respectively.”
Ritupaban Borah, assistant conservator of forest, Kaziranga, said, “Today (Thursday) is a historic day for Kaziranga. The move will improve wildlife conservation and reduce human-animal conflict. The areas added include places freed of encroachment and suitable wildlife habitats at riverine islands which were also vulnerable to encroachment.”
The government issued three separate notifications stating that in exercise of power conferred on him by Section 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the governor of Assam was pleased to declare the 7th, 8th and 9th additions to the area of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
By the notifications the government also directed the deputy commissioners of the concerned districts under whose jurisdiction the new additions fall to enquire into and determine the existence, the nature and extent of any rights/claims in favour of any person or persons over any land within the limit of the proposed additions.
The areas of the 7th and 8th additions fall under Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Bokakhat in Kaliabor subdivision of Nagaon district and the 9th addition falls under Western Range, Nagshankar under Biswanath Wildlife Division in Tezpur subdivision of Sonitpur district.