GUWAHATI:
In a bid to prevent rhino poaching and other wildlife crimes in and around Kaziranga National Park (KNP), bio-diversity conservation and research organisation, Aaranyak, in collaboration with the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) gifted a Mahindra Bolero vehicle to the office of the additional superintendent of police of the Assam Rhino Protection Task Force (ARPTF) on March 24.
Additional SP (ARPTF) Dhruba Jyoti Nath received the vehicle on behalf of the department during a meeting held at Kohora Police Guest House.
The meeting was attended by KNP director, Jatindra Nath Sarma, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (EAWL), Ramesh Gogoi, additional SP (ARPTF) Kaziranga, Dhruba Jyoti Nath, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Bokakhat, Anita Hazarika, and others.
Speaking at the occasion, Nath said the vehicle gifted to KNP will help his team in keeping an eye on unlawful activities in and around the national park. Nath mentioned that Assam Police has set up a new office under the Task Force of Assam to check wildlife crimes in and around KNP, covering about five districts.
Likewise, Ramesh Gogoi, DFO-EAWL Division, underlined the need to further enhance mobility of forest and ARPTF personnel and said the vehicle will greatly help the department.
On the other hand, Aaranyak CEO, Dr Bibhab Talukdar, who is also the senior advisor to the International Rhino Foundation for Asian Rhinos, reiterated Aaranyak’s commitment to complement the efforts of police and forest officials to check wildlife crime and illegal trade in wildlife which is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world.
Notably, Aaranyak had earlier donated three vehicles and eight motorbikes to KNP and two vehicles to Orang NP, three vehicles to Manas NP, four motorbikes to newly-designated Raimona NP, two motorbikes to the newly-designated Dehing Patkai national park, two motorbikes to Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, four motorbikes to Golaghat Police in association with NABU International and two motorbikes to Karbi Anglong District Police in association with the IRF.