Assam Government on Monday decided to upgrade the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to a National Park.
The decision was taken in a meeting between Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior officials on Monday. The Chief Minister said that he has directed the officials to take the necessary steps in this regard.
This announcement comes after about a month of public outrage over mining near the Dihing Patkai Wildlife Reserve. Following this outrage Coal India had stopped all coal mining under its unit North Eastern Coalfields.
Giving National Park status to Dehing Patkai would directly give more protection under wildlife acts. And it will stop any industrial or mining areas in and near the protected regions.
This announcement of Dehing Patkai to be upgraded to National Park status comes more a year after announcement that the Dima Hasao district of Assam will be getting the 6th National Park of the state. No official up-gradation of the same has been done yet. Once these two proposed locations get the status of National Park, Assam will have a total of seven National Park.
As of now Assam has five national parks : Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang and Dibru Saikhowa .
(Feature image source: Tinsukia online)
