HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 7: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that former APSC’s chairman Rakesh Paul’s punishment is a clear indication that Assam is entering a new era characterised by honesty and transparency.
Sarma emphasised that the recent appointments, which reflect strict adherence to merit and transparency, have successfully renewed the faith and trust of the youth in the state’s system.
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“Their punishment is an indication that Assam has entered into a new era of honesty and transparency. Now these appointments, which are the testimony of sheer merits and transparency have generated faith and trust among the youth in the system,” Sarma said while referring to the sentence of imprisonment of the former chairman and members of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) for their unfair practices in giving jobs.
Sarma, who attended a passing out parade of Assam Forest Protection Force at a colourful programme held at Lachit Borphukan Police Academy at Dergaon and said that with the induction of 940 new constables, the strength of Assam’s Forest Protection Force have increased by 120 per cent.
Congratulating the new recruits, Sarma further said that the passing out parade is the moment of pride and achievement for the recruits.
“After going through the rigorous training to attain physical and mental competence, the new constables have become assets of the state. These new recruits, after going through training in several places of the state, culminated their training with advanced induction training at the police academy,” he added.
The chief minister said that with the substantial number of women appointees, the new recruits are adequately empowered to fight encroachers and poachers.
“The Chief Minister said that the total forest areas in Assam is 26,832 sq km which is 34.21 per cent of the total geographic areas of the state. With seven national parks and 17 wildlife sanctuaries, Assam is blessed with its unique wild lives along with biodiversities. For safety and protection of these wildlife resources, an adequate number of forest protection forces are required,” he stated.
Stating that since large areas of the forest land of Assam share inter-state boundaries, more forces are required for their protection.
The Forest Protection Forces should work as a deterrent against the inimical forces that are hell-bent to cause damage to the forest resources, he said.
Later, he informed that another six hundred Forest Protection Forces will be recruited by next February.
Environment and Forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Agriculture minister Atul Bora, MLAs Taranga Gogoi and Bhabendra Nath Bharali, DGP GP Singh, additional chief secretary Home and Political Department A K Tiwari, special chief secretary (Forest) M K Yadava and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
