Guwahati: "Old days are gone, don't take the Assam government lightly." This is how the chief minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, warned the poachers active in the state. The CM further added that if somebody dares to do poaching of rhinos and wild animals, he might not have a safe run from the jungle. I wish poachers would understand it. It seems the stern warning of the chief minister certainly impacted the poachers.
Fifty-seven poachers of the Raimona National Park surrendered to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) of Assam on Wednesday (September 22).
The surrendered poachers handed over 40 rifles, bullets, ivory tasks, deer horns, Caracas of animals etc. Taking to the Twitter BTC chief Pramod Bodo said, "Handed over Rs. 50,000 ex gratia & 57 poachers of the Raimona National Park surrendered to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) of Assam on Wednesday, who surrendered their arms at a ceremony at Raimona National Park on World Rhino Day. Our Govt. is committed to taking every possible step to make "Poaching free BTR".
After stern actions by the government and police and since Raimona has been declared a national park, the poachers do not want to hunt anymore and are therefore surrendering. To honour their step and protect their livelihood, the government is planning to further give an amount of Rs 1.20 lakhs for setting up a new business, Bodo added.
Pramod Bodo further informed that two handloom factories would also be set up in the area to offer employment to the poachers.
The Raimona in Kokrajhar district, famous for golden langur, wild buffaloes, and Tiger, was declared Assam's sixth national park on World Environment Day.
