Eminent personalities from various walks of life, who assembled at the Dehing-Patki Festival here, took a solemn oath to protect and preserve the rich bio-diversity of Assam. Announcing the Lekhapani Declaration Minister of state for Home Affairs Pradyut Bordoloi said that the Declaration stipulates that all encroachments in reserve forests, sanctuaries and national parks would be evicted without any compromise by taking fringe villages into confidence.