'Efforts on to evict KNP encroachers'

GUWAHATI, August 14: The Forest Department is trying to evict the encroachers of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) who are involved in poaching and illegal fishing, said Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment Babulal Marandi while replying to an unstarred question by Arun Kumar Sarma, MP from Assam, in the Rajya Sabha on August 11, says a release here. Marandi admitted that out of the 50,000 inhabitants in and around Kaziranga National Park (KNP), 500 were encroachers. Even though the authorities had initiated steps for the eviction of the encroachers, they obtained stay orders from the Guwahati High Court and the process got delayed, the minister said, adding that the Forest Department had approached the High Court for withdrawal the stay orders for the eviction of the encroachers immediately. Replying to another question raised by Sarma on the progress of urban development schemes in Assam, the Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Bangaru Dattatreya informed that a total of Rs 13,593,131 was sanctioned for the water-supply schemes for Barpeta, Morigaon, Hailakandi and Dhemaji during the 9th Plan. Rs 19 crore was also sanctioned for water-supply schemes at Bilasipara, Sarthebari, Nazira, Bihpuria, Lakhimpur, Naharkotia, Bokakhat, Lala and Rongapara, the minister said.