One-horned rhinos, once on the verge of extinction, get resurrected by the BJP govt. in Assam

Rhino poaching is very common in Assam and all the governments in the last few decades have been very concerned about this loss of wildlife. However, the BJP government has made it a priority in the last six years and various steps were taken to curb this illegal practice first by the Sarbananda Sonowal government and now by the Himanta Biswa Sarma government.

• The efforts brought positive results as Rhino poaching reached 21 years low with only one case reported in 2021.
• With 2,657 rhinos, Assam is home to the largest population of one-horned rhinos in India.
• The BSF had seized 476,035 heads of cattle between 2016 and 2020 along the Indo-Bangla border, according to the Union Government.
• Between December 1, 2019, and November 30, 2020, a total of 24,060 cows were also seized from the Assam-Bangladesh border.

The efforts brought positive results as Rhino poaching reached 21 years low with only one case reported in 2021. “It’s commendable that in 2021, no. of rhinos lost to poaching was lowest in 21 yrs. A huge milestone in our efforts to eliminate the menace of poaching from our state. Kudos to our Forest Guards & officials of @kaziranga_ for their sincere efforts to protect Assam’s beloved icon,” tweeted Himanta Biswa Sharma.

The Himanta led government constituted Anti-poaching Task Force (APTF) in 2021 to ensure that poaching can be eliminated altogether. Kaziranga National Park is globally famous for one-horned rhinos and poaching activities were rampant in the area. The rise in poaching led loss of more than 150 rhinos in the last 20 years.

With 2,657 rhinos, Assam is home to the largest population of one-horned rhinos in India. Of these, 2,413 rhinos live in Kaziranga National Park while Manas National Park has 43, Orang National Park has 101 and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has 100.

The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government is making all efforts to ensure that wildlife, as well as domesticated animals, are secure in the state. After bringing the revolutionary Assam Cattle Preservation Bill (2021) last year, the Assam government amended the act to ensure that state police can enter the house of an accused to inspect, search and seize properties acquired in the last six years if the funds were earned from an illegal cattle trade.

Putting the onus on the accused to prove his/her innocence, the amendment states, “Provided that the burden of proving that the property so attached or seized has not been illegally acquired through sale or transportation of cattle in violation of any of the provision under this Act, shall be on the person affected.”

There exist many points along the porous India-Bangladesh border that enables illegal cattle smuggling. The smuggling occurs through the border from Dhubri district, which is considered to be one of the largest cattle markets linking Bangladesh. A few years back, The BSF had identified 65 cattle corridors along the border.

The BSF had seized 476,035 heads of cattle between 2016 and 2020 along the Indo-Bangla border, according to the Union Government. Meanwhile, between December 1, 2019, and November 30, 2020, a total of 24,060 cows were also seized from the Assam-Bangladesh border.

However, ever since the BJP came to power for the second consecutive time in the state, the newly elected Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has been gravely concerned about the demographic changes in the state in the form of cattle smugglers, as well as illegal refugees.

Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken multiple initiatives to ensure that rule of law can be established in the state and the people, their wealth, as well as wildlife, is secure. He has pacified all the separatist groups in the state and Assam has become a very peaceful state in the last few years that to effective leadership.