A press release stated that the rapid encroachment of forest land in the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary which is going on unchallenged by the local authorities is threatening to lay bare the wooded hills. This fact came to light when a team consisting of two members from Early Birds, an NGO, made a visit to the Khanapara Reserved Forest in the southern fringe of the city. They found that a large number of encroachers comprising mainly of Misings from Dhemaji District have cleared a considerable part of the forest and have constructed houses of torza bamboo and roofing sheets. The encroachers use the Veterinary college campus roads to enter the forest and to bring in their required materials. They have formed three villages in the encroached land viz Amritpur, Kailash Nagar and Kankan nagar, the last being the latest. According to a local resident named Khushal Miri who had also migrated from Dhemaji, the village named Kailash Nagar was formed five years back and has a current population of about 150-200 people while Kankan Nagar which was formed only a few months back (December- January) consists of about 25 households and an estimated 100-125 people. The village of Amritpur has a mixed population of Mishings, Asomiyas and Nepalis numbering about 200. On being asked about their means of living, most Mising villagers replied that they worked in private companies while the Nepalis said that they depended on their livestocks. When the Early Birds team asked some encroachers if the Forest Department was aware of their settlements they replied in the affirmative and said that they had their (Forest Department's) verbal permission. The cutting and leveling of the forest land and the construction of houses by the encroachers was going on in full swing in broad daylight right under the nose of the authorities concerned. If the scenario continuous as of now, Guwahatians will have the taste of global warming very soon.