Shoot wildlife with cameras instead of guns: Natung
SINGCHUNG, 11 Oct: Environment & Forest Minister Mama Natung called upon the people of the state to shoot wildlife with cameras instead of guns.
“The Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (EWS) is the best protected wildlife sanctuary in the state, and it has been possible due to the conservation support extended to the environment and forest department by the Bugun and Shertukpen communities,” Natung said after declaring the first ‘Bugun liocichla Utsav’ open here in West Kameng district on Monday.
The festival is being organized at Eaglenest Pass under the EWS and Lama Camp (Sharuwa) under the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve (SBVCR) to commemorate 15 years of the discovery of the Bugun liocichla bird.
The discovery of the bird was published in a scientific journal in 2006 by astrophysicist and birdwatcher Dr Ramanna Atreya. The bird has been named after the Bugun community.
Natung was all praise for the Bugun community for its wholehearted and sincere efforts towards conservation and preservation of forests and wildlife.
“The Buguns have been the torchbearers. Today, other tribes of Arunachal have realized the benefits of conservation and protection of natural resources, which in turn is providing employment opportunities and creating income generation activities in the form of tour operators, homestay providers, tourist guides, etc,” he said.
The minister appealed to all sections of the society to work as a team to conserve the forests and wildlife. He also thanked the researchers and scientists who are documenting the state’s flora and fauna.
The SBVCR had won the National Community Conservation Award of the government of India in 2018, and the Best Conserved Community Forest Award of the state’s environment & forest department in 2017.
Natung responded positively to a memorandum submitted by the SBVCR for sanctioning a one-time corpus fund for conservation activities undertaken by it, making the Bugun liocichla Utsav an annual event, and establishing a fire station in Singchung. He said he would discuss the proposals with the local legislator.
The minister also visited the Nature Interpretation Centre of the forest department.
PCCF RK Singh lauded the protection and conservation efforts of the Bugun community and assured it of all possible assistance from the department.
The EWS, the SBVCR and the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary are parts of the Kameng protected area complex, globally renowned for its rich biodiversity, which is second only to the Andes.
SBVCR chairman Khandu Glow and DFO B Darang also spoke.
Quiz competition, bird watching, snake handling workshop, trekking, talent hunt, rope course and various other adventure activities, besides T-shirt painting, photography, screening of film on wildlife, etc, will be organized during the five-day event.
Dr Ramanna Atreya, former minister DK Thongdok, DCF (WL) Millo Tassar, Bomdila DFO C Loma, Singchung ADC M Riba, Dr Umesh Srinivasan, SBWL members Rinchin Thongdok and Sange Tsering, Indi Glow, ZPMs from Pakke-Kessang, GBs and others attended the inaugural programme. (DIPRO)
