GUWAHATI: With three more deaths on Saturday, the Assam flood death toll rose to 79 even as the flooded Brahmaputra inundated the entire Kaziranga National Park.
“Kaziranga is under water. The situation might further worsen as the water upstream (of river Brahmaputra) is increasing,” the park’s Director P Sivakumar told this newspaper.
The mighty river flows through the park. Till Saturday morning, 96 animals – including eight rhinos – died due to various reasons such as drowning and vehicle hits. National Highway 37 traverses beside the park. The animals, particularly elephants and hog deer, cross the highway to go to the hills in neighbouring Karbi Anglong district during floods.
A tiger had strayed out three days ago and took refuge at the house of a villager. It was tranquilised by forest officials. One rhino had also strayed out on Friday to escape the park’s rising water.
“One rhino strayed out. We have given protection as there is water everywhere. If required, we will tranquilise the animal tomorrow (Sunday),” Sivakumar said.
Apurba Ballav Goswami, who is a journalist and environmentalist, has written to the Centre suggesting that the areas in Karbi Anglong, where the Kaziranga animals move to during floods, should be brought under the territorial jurisdiction of the park to thwart poaching.
He also insisted that work at a four-lane project, which will connect Gohpur on the north bank of the Brahmaputra with Numaligarh on the south bank beyond Kaziranga, should be stepped up to avoid vehicular traffic on National Highway 37, which connects Upper Assam with Central and Lower Assam, during floods.
Sivakumar said a committee, constituted by the state government last year, had already submitted its proposal to notify certain areas, which lead to Karbi Anglong hills, as animal corridors.
“There are nine animal corridors – two in Golaghat and seven in Nagaon districts. We haven’t been able to do any corridor management,” Sivakumar said.
He rubbished allegations that not many animals return to the park after floods vis-à-vis poaching in Karbi Anglong. He said the forest department in Karbi Anglong takes care of the Kaziranga animals. He said eight people were arrested on the north bank of the Brahmaputra recently in connection with three incidents of poaching of hog deer.
According to official sources, over 27.63 lakh people across 26 districts are still affected by the deluge. Altogether 47,465 people were taking shelter in 649 relief camps.