BOLENG, 4 Apr: At least 110 airguns were surrendered before Environment & Forests Minister Mama Natung during an Airgun Surrender Abhiyan programme organised by the environment & forests department here in Siang district on Monday.
Commending the people of the district for voluntarily surrendering their airguns, Natung said, “Nature has been showering its blessing on us in various forms. Now it’s time for us to give back to nature.”
“The Airgun Surrender Abhiyan is not only a campaign but a movement to make Arunachal an airguns-free state,” he added.
Natung said that the state government is working on a policy to compensate those who have surrendered their guns.
Expressing concern over deforestation, the minister informed that the department will organise a state-level meeting with all panchayat leaders in May “to frame a resolution against deforestation as well as planting more trees in the respective areas.”
Earlier, responding to the demand of the local MLAs of the district, Natung assured to create a separate forest division in Siang district.
Among others, MLAs Kumsi Sidisow, Ojing Tasing and Talem Taboh, forest department officials, and the DC attended the event.
