HC asks Assam government to clear KNP of encroachment

The Gauhati High Court today asked the Assam government to take necessary steps for removing encroachment in the world-famous Kaziranga National Park.
Hearing a PIL along with writ-petitions relating to poaching, a division bench, comprising Chief Justice (acting) K Sreedhar Rao and Justice A K Goswami, directed the state government to implement the measures to hand over the land to the KNP authority.
Presenting the government side, Additional Advocate General Debojit Saikia apprised the court of the salient features of the report submitted by the state government and possible solution to protect the wildlife.
He informed the court that the state government had proposed short and long term action plans to prevent poaching and encroachment of Park land.

The court after hearing both the state government as well as the counsel appearing for the settlement holders of Sixth Edition of Kaziranga National Park directed the government to take necessary action to implement the measures relating to clearing of encroachment of land.
The bench also suggested establishments of model villages to resettle the inhabitants of the Sixth Edition land which are yet to be added to the Park.