Buxa Tiger Reserve shift creates stir

Statesman News Service

COOCH BEHAR, Oct. 30: A movement is taking shape in Alipurduar against the proposed shifting of the headquarters of the Buxa Tiger Reserve to Jalpaiguri from Alipurduar.

The minister of state, public works department, Mr Manohar Tirkey and Alipurduar MLA Mr Nirmal Das already submitted a memorandum expressing their displeasure over the proposal to the chief minister, the state forest minister and the principal secretary of forest department. Several organisations of the region including Sara Bangla Bana-karmochari Samity and North Bengal Forest Mazdoor Union (NBFMU) too have come out against the proposal.

Alipurduar MLA Mr Nirmal Das said that the headquarters of the Buxa Tiger Reserve had been functioning at Alipurduar since 1983.
“We will wait till the second week of November for the government to reconsider the plan. If nothing takes place by this time we will be compelled to go in for a mass movement against the proposal,” Mr Das said.

The Alipurduar MLA further said that he would raise the issue on the floor of the state Assembly too. “ The proposal is being forwarded to undermine the separate district demand for Alipurduar. We will not allow it to materialise,” the MLA said.

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