If the failures of the forest departments to top the rhino poaching were not enough, Assam Forest Minister Atuwa Munda on Saturday sparked a new controversy by entering the Kaziranga National Park at night with a firearm, which is a clear violation of Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The Forest Minister, who had assumed charge only in January this year, had on Friday night entered the park with a firearm tied to his waist. He was accompanied by the top officials of the park, besides his official body guards.
The Minister’s move came after poachers killed a rhino inside the park on Thursday night and took away its horn. It is the tenth one-horned rhino to be killed in the park since January this year.
The move, however, led to large scale protests with the wildlife lovers opposing the move and said that it is not only unethical but also a clear violation of the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
“There is no provision in the Wildlife Protection Act that allows anyone except the forest officials to enter the park with firearm. When a Minister himself breaks the law, one can well imagine the situation of the State,” said Soumyadeep Dutta, Director of State’s prominent wildlife NGO Natures’ Beckon.
“Apart from the violation of guidelines, the Minister also showed his disrespect to the park-a UNESCO world heritage site. It is a kind of political gimmick adopted by the Minister to impress people to cover us the department’s failure to protect the rhinos,” said Dutta.
Park Director MK Yadav, however, said that there is no violation of Wildlife Act in the Minister’s entering the park with a firearm. Forest officials deployed on the park also objected to the move and termed it as a violation of guidelines.