Assam agri project: Drone survey launched for technical mapping of Gorukhuti area

Guwahati (PTI): The Assam government on Sunday launched a drone survey for technical mapping of Gorukhuti area in Darrang district for implementing various programmes under a multipurpose agriculture project there.

Minister for Environment and Forest, Fisheries and Excise, Parimal Suklabaidya inaugurated the drone survey during a visit to Gorukhuti at Sipajhar, an official statement said here.

He directed officials of the Forest department to come up with a comprehensive plan for benefitting the local people.

Suklabaidya also asked the officials to find a suitable location for setting up a biodiversity park.

There is immense scope for agroforestry and other forestry projects in Gorukhuti area and the department concerned will leave no stone unturned to develop Gorukhuti, the pet project of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said.

The minister directed the officials of the Fisheries department to take up projects like hatcheries and ponds in lowland areas in consultation with the district administration.

He also visited the spot where Gir cows from Gujarat are being reared by the local people.

Suklabaidya interacted with the farmers and gave assurance that the state government would do everything possible to ameliorate their socio-economic condition, the statement said.

Under the Gorukhuti Multipurpose Agriculture Project, the Assam government has allocated Rs 9.60 crore in the current budget to implement modern farming techniques and scientific animal rearing practices across 77,420 bighas (approximately 10,000 hectares) of land in the Sipajhar area.

Two persons were killed and over 20 others injured in clashes between police and alleged encroachers during an eviction drive in some villages under the Sipajhar revenue circle in September.

The eviction drive was carried out to free land for the project from the alleged encroachers.