The Assam government is reportedly going ahead with setting up the Barak Valley Wildlife Safari cum Rescue Centre in Dholai in Cachar district without the mandatory permission from the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA).

The CZA in response to an RTI filed by environment activist Rohit Choudhury said that the information on granting permission for the Barak Valley Wildlife Safari cum Rescue Centre “is not available in the records of the public authority.”

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Choudhury had filed an RTI before the CZA seeking copies of the permission granted or issued by the authority to set up the wildlife safari cum rescue centre in Dholai.

This means that the state government will be setting up the rescue centre in violation of Section 38 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for the wildlife safari cum rescue centre in February this year in the presence of state environment and forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya.

“On 26/02/21 @sarbanandsonwal Sir laid the foundation stone of BARAK VALLEY WILDLIFE SAFARI CUM RESCUE CENTER in presence of @ParimalSuklaba1 to be set up in DHOLAI but without any mandatory permission from @CZA_Delhi Violation of Sec 38(H) of Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972…??” tweeted Rohit Choudhury.