DHEMAJI: Their anticipation of their owners’ return was in vain as their masters had permanently left the area. Around 166 families from various minority communities, who had been residing at Kobu Chapori in North Assam’s Dhemaji districts for decades, departed following an eviction order issued by the forest department.
The Assam forest department, as part of its efforts to reclaim forestland and reserved islands from encroachment, had issued a notice to the residents of Kobu Chapori two months ago.
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Situated in the easternmost part of North Assam’s Dhemaji district, bordering Arunachal Pradesh, Kobu Chapori is a proposed Reserve Forest (RF) falling under the jurisdiction of the Dhemaji Forest division.
There has been a growing demand to merge the proposed RF with Poba RF, leading the inhabitants, including a few individuals with questionable citizenship, to be considered as encroachers.
As the families relocated from Kobu Chapori to different parts of Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, they left behind their pet dogs, leaving these loyal companions uncertain about their future.
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The plight of these abandoned pet dogs came to light when a group of NGO members visited the deserted Kobu Chapori after the residents had vacated the area.
The NGO workers discovered over 100 helpless pet dogs wandering the island in search of food and shelter. Many of them had already succumbed to hunger, while others had become sick and weak due to prolonged fasting.
Upon receiving information about the untold story of the stranded pet dogs, members of the Jonai block Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) rushed to Kobu Chapori on Friday and successfully rescued 98 dogs.
Forest officials from the Jonai forest range, along with the assistance of Nature’s Beckon (NGO) and BJYM, were part of the operation.
The foresters from Jonai reported that the rescue operation was ongoing, being carried out in a phased manner to locate the remaining dogs on the island.
So far, more than 120 dogs have been rescued, according to the information provided by the foresters.
Reports indicate that the rescued dogs are being cared for at a forest camp in the Tinmail beat area of Poba RF, where they are receiving food and veterinary attention.