GUWAHATI: Pertinent development project proposals came up for discussion at the crucial sixth meeting of the State Board for Wildlife, Assam (SBWL) held in Guwahati. In this meeting, the Board was apprised of all the initiatives taken by the Assam Government for improving wildlife protection in the State. The Board appreciated the move to establish Tiger Conservation Foundations for Kaziranga, Manas and Nameri Tiger Reserves, the Wildlife (Protection) Assam Amendment Act, 2009 and giving power to forest personnel to use firearms without prior government sanction and immunity from prosecution. The meeting was chaired by SBWL vice-chairman and State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain. Various proposals were discussed during the meeting which included using 24.1268 hectares of land of the Borail Wildlife Sanctuary for upgrading the Harangajao-Udarband-Silchar section of NH-54 under the East-West Corridor Project of the National Highway Authority of India; using 0.045 hectares land of Kaziranga National Park for laying optical fibre cable along NH-37 roads; laying of an 8-inch Aviation Turbine Fuel Pipeline from Guwahati Refinery to the LGBI Airport by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd; refurbishing of the Chandrapur Thermal Power Station which falls within 10 km from the boundary of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary; using 10 hectares of additional non-forest land that falls within 10 km from the boundary of the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary for upgrading the State Highway No. 3 by Assam Public Works Department (PWD); upgrading and improving the State Highway No- 31 roads from Jorhat to Moriani; diverting 2.802 hectares RF land that falls within 10 km from the boundary of the Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary for construction of the Panbari Flow Irrigation Scheme and diverting 18.55 hectares of forest land that falls within 10 km from the boundary of the Nameri National Park for widening the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road. These proposals will be forwarded to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife for necessary clearance.