[ Prafulla Kaman ]
SILAPATHAR, 21 Apr: The Darak Tourism and Social Welfare Foundation (DTSWF), an Itanagar-based NGO, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Orchid Society of Assam (OSA) for joint research and documentation of wild orchids and medical plants for conservation.
On behalf of the NGO, its managing director Jummo Potom and associate director Poknanda Raksap signed the memorandum of understanding with the Assam-based organisation during its eighth annual conference held at the Silapathar Science College in Assam’s Dhemaji district on Tuesday.
As per the agreement, they will organise environment-related seminars and workshops on orchid propagation and conservation, and submit project proposals to national and international agencies for funding.
The OSA also signed similar MoUs with three other colleges in Assam – Jiadhal College in Dhemaji, Tengakhat College in Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia College.
The OSA, with its head office in Silapathar, has been working for the last nine years, organising orchid festivals, seminars and workshops on orchid conservation from time to time.
The organisers during the conference launched the second edition of its online journal titled Himalayan Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences and E-Flora of Assam.
The conference featured a workshop on ‘Orchid propagation and conservation’, during which Prof Bhaskar Buragohian, head of department of botany, Mariani College (Assam), highlighted the distribution of orchid flora in Northeast India. He also shared tips for orchid propagation and nurturing methods with the participants.
Silapathar Science College Principal Dr Ranjeet Saikia, OSA president Dr Jitu Gogoi and Prof Jayshree Dutta also addressed the conference.
The DTSWF is dedicated to promoting ecotourism, orchid conservation, and community development in the state, especially in Darak in West Siang district, one of the major tourist destinations. It also organises the ‘Ecotourism-cum-Angling Festival’ at Darak, located around 35 kms from West Siang district headquarters Aalo.
