Alipurduar, Sept. 11 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is scheduled to visit Alipurduar on September 22 to mark World Rhino Day, with the district administration and Forest Department stepping up preparations for the proposed visit.
Although the exact venue and programme are yet to be finalised, officials have begun reviewing possible locations. On Thursday afternoon, Alipurduar MP Manoj Tigga, Jaldapara DFO Parveen Kaswan, Alipurduar SDO Richard Lepcha and other administrative officials inspected the Madarihat High School ground, located near Jaldapara National Park, to assess its suitability.
Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said: "Jaldapara National Park has earned worldwide recognition for its rhino population.
Therefore, on the occasion of World Rhino Day on September 22, we asked the Chief Minister to visit. The Chief Minister himself has expressed his desire to be present in Alipurduar to observe the occasion. Officials of our department and the district administration are reviewing all preparations accordingly.
A meeting of officials from the district administration, Forest Department and police administration has also been scheduled for Sunday. The exact venues and programmes for the day will be finalised at that meeting."
According to the Forest Department, animal parts seized during various raids and operations-including rhino horns, elephant tusks, animal skins and antlers-will be publicly destroyed on September 22. The initiative is intended to send a strong message of zero tolerance towards poaching and wildlife trafficking.
Spread across 216.51 sq km, Jaldapara National Park is home to more than 300 one-horned rhinoceroses. The population had fallen to just 14 in 1984 due to rampant poaching. Sustained conservation measures, including Joint Forest Management, have since helped the species recover steadily.
Environmental experts believe the Chief Minister's participation in World Rhino Day programmes could give a significant boost to wildlife conservation and environmental protection efforts in the region.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.