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Manas national park could become terrorist haven

Many environment-friendly Non-Governmental Organisations in Assam have expressed apprehension that with the authorities planning to withdraw the last police platoon from Manas National Park, a world heritage site, terrorists will have full control of the reserve.

NGOs like Rhino Foundation, Aranyak and Early Bird have alleged that police higher-ups were planning to withdraw the crucial platoon from Basbari range, the only operative one out of three ranges in the park, the other two having already been taken over by terrorists.

However, Barpeta district superintendent of police A H Kashyap said he had not issued any such order. The NGOs insist that such a plan is under consideration and that it is due to the park authorities' request that the platoon is still stationed in the park.

According to Aranyak secretary general Bibhab Talukdar, although a Border Security Force platoon is posted a kilometre away from Basbari range, "in a jungle like that of Manas, which includes unmanned international boundary, even one km is a long distance.''

The majestic park, home to many endangered species, has for some time now become a refuge for terrorists. It has also been literally ravaged by Bodo militants ever since they began working in this region. The park is not only a safe haven for the extremists but also provides an important corridor to the gun-totting ultras of neighbouring Bhutan.

The flow of tourists, after the park was re-opened on November 1, 1997, has been negligible, Talukdar said. Of the 58 beat offices situated at vital points of the park, 36 were burnt down by Bodo militants.

Of the three ranges that constitute the 2837 sq km Manas National Park, Basbari range was the only one functioning, while the other two, Bhuyanpara and Panbari were ''non-operational'' as forest guards refused to stay there fearing attacks by militants.

The park authorities confirmed that if the platoon was withdrawn it would be just a matter of time before the militants took over the park. The park was closed to visitors in 1989 in the wake of violent agitations by the All Bodo Students Union.

The park was chosen as a site for Project Tiger in 1972. But the project has been badly affected by the Bodo movement.

Several environmental activists and organisations have urged Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta to use his good offices to save the park.

They said the last census reported that the one-horned rhino and swamp deer in the park were extinct. There were around 100 rhinos till the early nineties, when militants started poaching in the unguarded areas.

UNI

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