[ Prafulla Kaman ]
PASIGHAT, 18 Feb: The authority of Daying Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, in association with the NSS unit of Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNC), organised a sensitisation programme on wildlife conservation, themed ‘Wildlife matters, save wildlife’, for the students at the JNC auditorium here in East Siang district on Sunday.
Addressing the participants, Divisional Forest Officer (WL) Kempi Ete said that “protection of wild plants and animals is necessary to maintain natural ecosystems.” She urged the students to “play a proactive role in sensitising common people to the importance of wildlife conservation for the sake of the future generations.”
“The people are accustomed to exploit nature by destroying resources and killing wildlife, which is posing an impending danger to their descendants,” the DFO said.
NGO Aaranyak’s project officer Ivy Farheen Hussain highlighted the wildlife diversity in the Northeast, with special reference to hunting and trafficking of rare and endangered species. She also delivered a presentation on the role of birds, insects and other exotic species in the maintenance of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Former AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai appealed to the people to “stop killing wild animals in the name of festival,” while NSS unit coordinator Prof Kento Kadu asked the NSS volunteers to “spread the message of wildlife conservation efforts among your societies.”
Among others, Aaranyak manager Dr Jini Bora, officials of the wildlife sanctuary divisions, and college students participated in the programme.
The programme began with a marathon competition in the earlier part of the day. The DFO and other dignitaries distributed the prizes to the winners of the competition.
