From Sandeep Sharma
GUWAHATI: : An FIR was lodged against Tangla Municipal Board executive officer (EO) Shantanu Das for his alleged role in the felling of bamboo trees which led to the killing of scores of Egrets at Jalukbari area under ward No.1 of Tangla in Udalguri district on Friday.
An official statement here informed that the state environment and forest department has lodged the FIR against Das after divisional forest officer (DFO) of Dhansiri Forest Division, NK Bordoloi found that the EO had served notices on June 8 to five residents of ward No 1 and 2 to clear the bamboo groves nesting the egrets and their fledglings as the “droppings of birds were creating an unhygienic environment which may increase the risk of Covid-19 infection in the area”.
“The forest authorities have filed an FIR against the executive officer of the municipal board, Das, for the unfortunate incident at the Tangla Police Station. Also a case will be filed against Das under Section 55 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 in the court of the chief judicial magistrate of Udalguri,” the statement said.
Scores of birds were killed when the bamboo grove was felled by the municipal workers which prompted chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to direct the forest department to conduct an inquiry into the incident of killing of Egrets.
State environment and forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya had directed principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Amit Sahai to probe into the incident and submit a report immediately.
Bordoloi informed that 88 Egret fledglings have been rescued and sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation at Kaziranga.
Egrets are listed under Schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The local forest authorities are planning to hold awareness meetings with leading citizens, NGOs and government officials on the need to protect wildlife.
