Guwahati, Sep 22 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said that rhino poaching was a routine affair before 2016, but when he took over as the chief minister of Assam, a “relentless and uncompromising” crackdown was launched to protect the state’s pride.
Backed by political will and the forest frontline, there have been multiple years of ‘zero’ rhino poaching over the last 10 years, he said.
The Union Minister for Shipping, Ports and Waterways, in a social media post, said, “Greetings on #WorldRhinoDay! These lovable giants are the pride of India’s biodiversity. Did you know my home state of Assam hosts nearly 80% of the world’s one-horned rhinos? Today they are thriving, but it wasn’t always this way.”
He claimed that before 2016, “the tragic reality was that rhino poaching had become a routine affair”.
“When I took over as the chief minister, we decided enough was enough. We launched a relentless, uncompromising crackdown to protect the state’s pride. Backed by absolute political will and the bravery of our forest frontline workers, we achieved a monumental turnaround,” he said.
“Over the last 10 years, we made the impossible a reality, recording multiple years of ZERO rhino poaching. Because of these efforts, Assam today proudly hosts over 4,000 rhinos, with magnificent Kaziranga National Park at the heart of this historic conservation story,” he said.
Sonowal urged people to renew the pledge to “protect our majestic natural heritage for generations to come”.
According to official records, there are currently 3,260 rhinos in the state. PTI DG DG ACD
(PTI News)