Assam: Illegal encroachment, fishing threaten Laokhowa sanctuary in Nagaon

Laokhowa Sanctuary in Assam's Nagaon district faces a severe threat from illegal encroachers, who have established a large pond-digging fish business on about a thousand bighas of land. The encroachment stretches from Dandua forest camp to Kathalguti, with local Vedakalkaris allegedly collaborating with some corrupt forest officials and activists to facilitate the illegal activities.

Just three hundred metres from the Dandua forest camp, the illegal encroachers have constructed extensive fisheries, jeopardizing the sanctuary's existence. The fish business, operating by damming the banks of these large fisheries, demonstrates the encroachers' significant impact on the environment. The situation has become increasingly dire, with the sanctuary's ecological balance at serious risk.

The mysterious encroachment of sanctuary land has provoked strong reactions from local communities and environmentalists. The local people have called for the chief minister's intervention to address the issue and protect the sanctuary. The encroachers' activities have persisted despite the Forest Biagom Forest Department's previous actions against alleged smugglers in the region.

Unless the government takes swift and stringent measures, it is feared that Laokhowa Sanctuary could be completely overrun by encroachers, leading to irreversible environmental damage. The local community's demand for immediate government intervention underscores the urgency of the situation.

In light of the ongoing illegal activities and the looming threat to the sanctuary, there is a pressing need for the government to implement strict measures to reclaim and protect the encroached land. The survival of Laokhowa Sanctuary depends on prompt and decisive action to remove the illegal encroachers and restore the area's ecological integrity.