Crackdown on liquor from Arunachal Pradesh; Poba Reserve Forest will be converted into Wildlife Sanctuary: Forest Minister
GUWAHATI: Assam environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya reviewed the status and progress of his three departments here on Friday.
Reviewing the status of Environment and Forest department, Minister Suklabaidya asked the officials to free the forest lands from encroachments and requested the district administration to extend help and support for eviction of encroachers. DFO, Motiur Rahman informed that a little over 31,000 hectare of forest land in nine reserve forests in the district have been encroached upon.
Suklabaidya asked the officials to go in for massive plantation drives under the Green Dhemaji initiative. He requested the Deputy Commissioner to release funds from District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) for tree guards to protect the saplings. Deputy Commissioner, P. Bijoy Bhaskar Reddy assured the Minister of releasing funds for the purpose.
DFO Rahman informed that there more than 60,000 saplings are available for the plantation drive. He also informed the Minister that a proposal for converting Poba Reserve Forest covering an area of more than 9,000 hectares into a wildlife sanctuary has been submitted to the department. Suklabaidya said that he would take necessary steps for due notification of the wildlife sanctuary.
Reviewing the status of five sand and gravel and one clay mahals in the district, Suklabaidya asked the department to create more mahals along the Subansiri river to generate more revenue. At the same time, the Minister asked Superintendent of Police, Ranjan Bhuyan to crack down on illegal mahals and to seize vehicles transporting illegal sand and gravel and also to arrest those forest officials who are in connivance with unscrupulous elements.
The Minister while reviewing the schemes of Fisheries department, urged the Fisheries Development Officers and Demonstrators to ensure total implementation of PMMSY, RKVF-RAFTAAR, CMSGUY and Ghare Ghare Maach Ghare Ghare Pukhuri for increasing fish production to enhance revenue.
Suklabaidya assured of setting up a fish feed mill as the fishermen of the district have to procure feed from Lakhimpur and other places.
On the plea of MLA, Bhuban Pegu, Suklabaidya said that he would take steps for storing of sufficient stock of medicine for fish in the district.
He asked the officials to attract the youths toward fishing in a big way as the district has vast water resources that need to be tapped to its optimum level.
Suklabaidya directed the officials to file FIRs against those beneficiaries who have availed funds but failed to utilise the amount for several months together.
Reviewing the activities of Excise department, Suklabaidya asked the officials to crackdown on liquor from Arunachal Pradesh making its way to Dhemaji and other parts of the state and to intensify drive against illicit liquor (sulai). “Vigorous drive against liquor from Arunachal Pradesh and sulai will not only help to generate revenue but also save many a life,” he quipped.
The district has 58 Off and ON IMFL shops and 24 numbers of country spirit outlets.
