On the eve of the 72nd Independence Day, the inner map of Kaziranga National Park has been changed after a notification issued by the State Government on Tuesday.
The Environment and Forest Department of Assam through a notification has renamed and relocated forest divisions and ranges in different parts of the State including a new range – Bokakhat Range – under Kaziranga National Park. The World Heritage Site has been brought under two forest divisions – Eastern Assam and Biswanath Wildlife Divisions.
With the issuance of the new order, the State Environment and Forest Department has renamed the Northern Range, Biswanath Ghat of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division as Bokakhat Range with its headquarters at Bokakhat and brought the areas of Kaziranga National Park and a major part of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, which were under the control of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division and Biswanath Wildlife Division.
The Eastern Assam Wildlife Division with its headquarters at Bokakhat will cover Golaghat and Nagaon districts including Bokakhat and Koliabar sub-divisions.
The ranges/beat under the administrative control of Eastern Wildlife Division, Bokakhat will be Eastern Range, Agaratoli; Kaziranga Range, Kohora; Western Range, Baguri; Burapahar Range, Ghorakati; Bokakhat Beat; Bokakhat Range, Bokakhat which has been created by renaming and relocating the establishment of existing Northern Range, Biswanath Ghat of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division.
On the other hand, the Biswanath Wildlife Division with its headquarters at Biswanath Chariali will cover Biswanath and Sonitpur districts including Tezpur, Biswanath and Gohpur sub-divisions.
The ranges to be under the control of Biswanath Wildlife Division will be Eastern Range, gamiri; Central Range, Biswanath Ghat; Western Range, Nagshankar; Crime Investigation Range, Biswanath Chariali attached to DFO, Biswanath Wildlife Division.
It may be mentioned that as per the order, the Central Assam Afforestation Division, Hojai has been renamed as Biswanath Wildlife Division with its headquarters at Biswanath Chariali while the Hojai Afforestation Range, Hojai, Hojai has been renamed as Eastern Range with its headquarters at Gamiri. On the other hand, the Lumding Afforestation Range, Lumding has been named as Central Range with its headquarter at Biswanath Ghat.
The Lanka Afforestation Range, Lanka has been renamed as Western Range with its headquarters at Nagshankar while the Chariduar Afforestation Range, Charduar has been renamed as Crime Investigation Range with its head quarters at Biswanath Chariali.