GUWAHATI, Aug 22: The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and a unit of the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF) on Thursday signed a MoU to set up a surveillance centre and dwelling units for frontline workers in the UNESCO heritage site.
The MoU between KNPTR and AAF’s The Animal Care Organisation (TACO) was signed in the presence of Assam minister for Environment and Forest Chandra Mohan Patowary.
As part of TACO’s wildlife conservation project ‘Mission Vanraksha’, this collaboration will strengthen the protection of the Park’s wildlife especially endangered species such as the Greater One-Horned Rhinos, Asiatic Elephants and Bengal Tigers.
The MoU outlines a grant of Rs 6 crore to be utilised over a period of three years for this collaboration.
Patowary on the occasion said that Kaziranga National Park is not just a treasure of Assam but of the entire world.
‘We are committed to supporting TACO’s initiative ‘Mission Vanraksha’ where they will provide a surveillance centre to maintain a zero poaching zone and to promote conservation and sustainability in our state,’ he pointed out.
The establishment of dwelling units for forest frontline workers is a critical component of this initiative, ensuring that those who protect our heritage are well-supported, he said.
The well-being of the frontline workers will help them maintain Kaziranga’s unparalleled beauty and biodiversity, Patowary added, “The structure set up shall be undertaken in consonance with due compliances under forest, wildlife and Environmental laws and regulations.
The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve spread over 1,302 sq km, is famed for reviving the population of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros and is now home to over 2,613 of these iconic species. (PTI)
