By Our Kokrajhar Bureau
Kokrajhar (Assam),Oct 2: More than 500 poachers including timber smugglers returned to the mainstream on Saturday by surrendering arms and poached materials before the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) administration and forest department at a programme held at Bengtol in Chirang district.
Over 500 poachers have come to the mainstream within a span of ten days which includes 57 poachers who had returned to the mainstream by surrendering on Sep22 last at Saraibil area under Gossaigaon subdivision .
Today , more than 500 poachers from different areas like Raimona under Kachugaon forest division, Ultapani, Saralpara, Lungsung under Haltugaon forest division, Ripu Chirang Reserve forest area along the Indo-Bhutan border surrendered before the BTR administration and forest department authorities and deposited huge numbers of hand made arms, animal horns during the surrender ceremony.
BTR executive member for Forest & Environment Ranjit Basumatary, MLA Jayanta Basumatary,BTR executive members Dhananjay Basumatary, Gautam Das, Special DGP and in-charge IGP (BTR) Dr L R Bishnoi, Chirang SP Pranjit Bora, Forest department official Anurag Singh were prominent attendees at the ceremony .
Poachers deposited several 257 hand made arms,70 nos of wood cutting machines,12 nos of Deer horns, huge amount of explosive materials, etc before the BTR administration and forest department authorities.
BTR authorities welcomed them back the poachers to mainstream who all have vowed to put an end to poaching activities in the region.
BTR executive member Ranjit Kumar said that the forest department and BTR administration have taken initiative for healthy conservation and protection of the natural resources and popularize tourist hotspots like Raimona and Manash National Park as well other forest regions in Bodoland belt.
He informed that all poachers who have returned to the mainstream by surrendering before the BTR administration, they would be rehabilitated and given financial support from the BTR administration.
He said that BTR administration and forest department are jointly working towards the healthy conservation measures and protection of the natural resources.
He has sought cooperation and support from all sections of the society while conserving the national parks in Bodoland belt.
BTR CEM Pramod Boro also welcomed back the poachers who have returned to the mainstream by surrendering before the BTR administration on Saturday.
He said that BTR region have huge potential of tourism as natural resources of BTR districts are surely going to attract the tourists.
