File picture of one-horned rhinos at Pobitora

Guwahati, July 28: Assam forest and environment minister Rockybul Hussain said today that steps would be taken to improve facilities at Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, known to have the world?s highest density of rhinos, to help boost the tourist inflow.

Pobitora has 81 rhinos in an area of 16 square km, out of the total area of 38 square km.

The minister, who is also in charge of tourism, said a committee will soon be set up involving both tourism and forest officials to conduct a survey of the sanctuary and devise ways to improve its facilities.

The joint committee will visit the park within the next 15 days to chalk out an action plan to make it more tourist- friendly.

This is Hussain?s first official visit to Pobitora wildlife sanctuary after he took over as minister for forest, environment and tourism.

He had gone to attend a function organised by Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation society, to distribute 110 raincoats to the forest staff of the sanctuary. The raincoats were given by Aaranyak, in collaboration with the London-based David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.

The minister asked the Guwahati wildlife division to plan schemes for the uplift of the wildlife sanctuary. He said steps would also be taken to improve the condition of the approach road to Pobitora.

The sanctuary now falls under the jurisdiction of the Guwahati wildlife division and tourists wanting to visit it will first have to contact the said division.

B. K. Talukdar, secretary general of Aaranyak, said wireless sets would be given to the staff in the coming winter. The society has also prepared a Global Information System (GIS) map showing the areas where the rhinos go straying in the sanctuary. The map revealed that more than 50 per cent of rhino poaching takes place outside the protected area.

The India Rhino Vision 2020 programme states that the rhino population in Pobitora has already exceeded the park?s maximum capacity. It needs to be reduced in order to protect the habitat and to mitigate the increasing cases of rhino-human conflict occurring when the animals invade agricultural areas. The programme aims at translocation of rhinos from Kaziranga and Pabitora to three or four target areas.