[ Mingkeng Osik ]
PASIGHAT, 18 Jun: In a crackdown on illegal hunting of birds in the region, a team of Covid warriors of East Siang district along with members of the All Bogong Student’s Union (ABSU) intercepted a car near Raneghat check gate on Tuesday evening, and found its two passengers in possession of carcasses of 54 hunted birds.
Informing about the large-scale killing of birds, ABSU general secretary Siang Moyong and Covid warrior Manning Moyong informed that they came across the bird carcasses during routine checking of vehicles.
Siang Moyong informed that the incident was reported to the divisional forest officer of the Pasighat forest division, who rushed to the spot and seized a gun, cartridges and the bird carcasses.
When contacted, Pasighat Forest Division DFO Tashi Mize informed, “The place of occurrence is under Yingkiong forest division. The bird hunters were booked as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and a complaint letter has been processed for the chief judicial magistrate for justice.”
Mize on Friday also visited the place where the birds were hunted, near Rengging village.
When contacted, Rengging Gaon Burah Tamak Tamuk informed that the villagers had earlier nabbed the same two persons, who originally hail from Upper Siang district. The Rengging village kebang imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the hunters and warned them against repeating the illegal act.
Tamuk also informed that both the bird hunters hunted the birds in Bitlong area in the mountain that falls under the jurisdiction of Rengging village.
“This area has rock salt deposits which not only attract birds but other wild animals like deer and mithuns. As a conservation effort, Rengging village has banned hunting of birds and animals in the Bitlong area,” informed the GB.
Meanwhile, D Ering Wildlife Sanctuary DFO Tasang Taga has commended the Covid warriors, the ABSU and the Rengging village kebang for nabbing the hunters.
“When the state government has banned massive hunting of wildlife and birds and initiatives like airgun surrender have also been launched, the killing of birds in large numbers shows non-compliance by the general public. I would like to appeal to each and every civil society to come forward and support the forest and wildlife department in protecting the wildlife and forest resources of the state,” Taga said.
