[ Prafulla Kaman ]
MEBO, Oct 6: The Kotga Gora Conservation Committee here in East Siang district on Tuesday launched a ‘wildlife week’ programme in Namsing village, with support from the Wildlife Trust India (WTI).
WTI Joint Director for NE Region, Sunil Kariyong said, “The WTI, with the help of local NGOs, is all set to implement a project for conservation of elephant corridors in Mebo area, providing livelihood support to the local communities,” and urged the villagers to avail the opportunity.
Attending the launch of the programme, Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary DFO (WL) Tasang Taga informed that he has been working for the protection of elephant corridors in the region. Stating that the government has no clear policy on man-elephant conflict, he asked the villagers to protect the elephant corridors in Mebo for their benefit.
Pasighat DFO (T) T Mize presented a brief on community policy to protect the wildlife. He said community policy is an effective mechanism to conserve wild beasts in human habitations by implementing afforestation projects. He urged the locals to protect the wild beasts and natural resources for the survival of their future generations.
The DFO informed that this is the third community-based conservation programme in the state “as local communities have already taken up conservation projects in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Kalaktang and Sundrungchu valley in Lumla (Tawang) to protect the flora and fauna of their localities.”
Retired IAF group captain Mohonto Panging (Pao) lamented that
the practice of hunting wildlife using licenced guns and “rude fishing in water bodies are adversely affecting ecosystems in the area.”
Panging, who is a native of Namsing village, appealed to the forest and the wildlife departments to take steps to seize licenced barrel guns to prevent further hunting, and restrain “rude fishing and collection of forest wealth.”
Among others, Namsing CO Rude Tatung, CGCC chairman Gumi Tayeng, retired police inspector U Perme, GBs and public leaders spoke on the occasion.
A similar programme will be organized in Laika and Sivaguri areas bordering Assam during the ‘wildlife week’, which will continue till 8 October.
