Guwahati: As the autumn has set the stage for the winter to rule the atmosphere in the picturesque North East India’s hills and valleys, enchanting destinations in the region are ready to welcome visitors in the coming tourists’ season.

While the rhino abode in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) was thrown open for the tourists on October 28, three days ahead of the schedule, two other most visited wildlife protection areas—Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park (MNP) – in the state were opened for tourists from today.

The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden is poised to achieve another milestone by becoming a conservation breeding centre for the endangered golden langur (Trachypithecus geei).

Rhino experts are drafting a field handbook based on Assam conditions to help carry out translocation more efficiently and smoothly as experts start converging for the second phase of shifting of the animals from Pobitora wildlife sanctuary to Manas.

The translocation will be done over the next three days from tomorrow.

KALGACHIA, Oct 7

Bhutan Consul General in Kolkata, Dasho Tsering Wangda has met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at the latter's official residence and discussed issues of mutual interests.

The top Bhutanese official revealed that Bhutan would start flight operations with Assam on the Guwahati-Bhutan-Bangkok route subsequently to Patna.

Over 90 per cent of the Rs 8.21 crore project to close the Beki embankment breach at Narayanguri is complete by now, while the rate of erosion is reduced considerably at Bahari in Barpeta district. Highly-placed sources in the State Water Resources Department (WRD) told this newspaper that by June 15 the rest of the work was expected to be complete. Meanwhile, a sanction of Rs 5 crore has been granted for opening the silted up mouth of the Manas at Mathanguri. The BTAD is to execute the work by excavating the mouth of the Manas, sources said.