A slew of measures to conserve wildlife has led to rise in population of rhino, elephant, tiger and other animals in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today.
Addressing a state-level function here to mark the Wildlife Week, he described the efforts as a silent revolution towards wildlife conservation.
"The forest guards and officials of the Environment and Forest department deserve encomiums for their conservation efforts which have had led to increase in the wildlife population in the state," the chief minister said.
"The forest personnel are working under adverse conditions to protect the wildlife from poachers. Such conservation efforts are not seen elsewhere," Gogoi said.
Gogoi said the government has made the laws stringent by amending the Wildlife Forest Act 1972.
"The punitive action against poachers by awarding them with life sentences by amending the Act coupled with the use of fire arms by forest personnel and equipping them with sophisticated weapons to match the firepower of the poachers have yielded positive results," he pointed out.
Stating the laws will be made more deterrent for the poachers in the coming days, the Chief Minister said, "We will bring in harsher laws against poachers.
