SILCHAR, 19 Nov: The ‘Airgun Surrender Abhiyan’ of Arunachal Pradesh, initiated by Environment, Forest & Climate Change Minister Mama Natung, was felicitated with the Conservation Award in the valedictory session of the 6th Northeast Green Summit held here in Assam on 18 November.
The award, which was presented to Natung, is in recognition of the efforts of the Arunachal government and its environment, forest & climate change department to protect and conserve the rare, unique and endangered wildlife of the state from being hunted.
In his acceptance speech, Natung called for “collective efforts from all the northeastern states to stop animal hunting and adopt community- and culture-based approach to reach the grassroots level.”
He urged union MoS for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Ashwini Chowbey to extend the abhiyan throughout the country “to eradicate crimes against nature.”
Natung also informed about the long-term strategies that were adopted as the ‘Pakke Declaration’ in the recently concluded cabinet meeting at the Pakke Tiger Reserve in Pakke-Kessang district.
Choubey applauded the Arunachal government for its wildlife conservation initiative, and gave assurance that the Northeast states would be provided with all possible help in protecting the region’s rich biodiversity and wildlife.
The Northeast Green Summit is an amalgam of art, music, roundtable conference, symposium, etc, to celebrate the rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage of Northeast India and work for sustainable development and conservation of the Northeast and its contiguous biodiversity zones. The summit is organized every year by the Vibgyor NE Foundation.
