Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday laid the foundation of a project to give a modern outlook to the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden involving an outlay of Rs 362.04 crore, officials said.

The project will include adding various facilities for animals and visitors to make Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden a modern and state-of-the-art centre.

In his remarks on the occasion, CM Sarma said that established in 1957, the zoo-cum-botanical garden is the only zoological and botanical centre in the entire North East which is a leading conservation centre for the region's rich biodiversity. Set up in a sprawling area, it is a centre where flora and fauna of several unique species exist together.

Reminiscing his childhood memories of the zoo, he said that once he became the Chief Minister, he took the decision to make the zoo a modern one. Therefore, the decision to infuse Rs 362.04 crore for its modernisation.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has already planned to set up two more zoos at Dibrugarh and Silchar, respectively. Both the zoos are to be built in an open zoo model, as Rs 259 crore and Rs 214 crore have been earmarked for them, respectively.

He also the state government has also decided to set up the Institute of Wildlife and Health for wild animals at Chabua. He also said that though poaching has almost disappeared from the state, the government has given responsibility to a Special Task Force of the Assam Police to deal with poaching cases involving elephants and tigers.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government has made 74,115 bighas of forest land encroachment-free which has also aided in increasing animal population and defeating poaching.'

At the function, Sarma released a report on 'Elephant Population Estimation in Assam'. As per estimation, the population of elephants in Assam has stood at 5,828. It carries a positive image towards wildlife conservation in the state, the Chief Minister added.

State Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal, MP Guwahati Bijulee Kalita Medhi and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

/IANS