DIRANG, Feb 26: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India and Hero MotoCorp Ltd have provided motorcycles to three community conserved area (CCA) management committees of Sengedzong, Nyukmadung and Thembang in West Kameng district.
During an event held at the National Research Centre on Yak at West Kameng district, MLA Phurpa Tsering handed over these motorcycles to the representatives of the management committees on Wednesday.
He lauded the committees for their effort in nature conservation.
Apart from motorcycles, the MLA also handed over solar fencing materials to the gaon buarh of Tsangpa village and three solar dome lights to three farmers from Chug valley.
Under the CCA, local communities keep aside a certain proportion of their forests as conservation area and frame management rules to prevent any further misuse of natural resources.
People of Thembang have set aside more than 635 sq km of forest as CCA and initiated a process to declare a certain proportion of forests
as community reserve area under the provision of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The forest of Thembang ranges from 1500 up to 6500 m asl and is home to some of the charismatic species including, the snow leopard.
“It is a matter of pride to have a species like the snow leopard in our forests and we must do our best to secure their habitat. Areas where snow leopards thrive in are also rangeland for yak herders,” the MLA said.
The WWF-India is also extending support to fence crop field with low cost solar fence.
“We had installed solar fence last year, which has been effective. It helps us protect our crops from animals” said Tsering Khandu, gaon burah of Pangsa village of Chug valley.
