Sensitisation effort on conservation

The Assam Tribune , Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Correspondent :
GUWAHATI, Oct 29 – Aaranyak, in collaboration with the Manas National Park (MNP) authorities, has undertaken a drive to facilitate the visit of 1,200 women from fringe villages to the picturesque park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for sensitising them on conservation issues.

In the first phase, Aaranyak and the MNP authorities organised a day-long trip for 100 women from villages bordering Bansbari, Bhuyanpara and Panbari ranges to Manas to help them have first-hand experience of the park’s wonderful ambience, its resources, and its importance to the environment as a whole.

“These women from various villages living on the fringe of Manas National Park have visited the park for the first time in their life though they live so close to it. The objective of the initiative is to make the womenfolk understand the importance of the flora and fauna of the picturesque wildlife habitat so that they are motivated to contribute their mite towards its conservation efforts,” Dr Bibhuti P Lahkar, a senior biologist of Aaranyak, said.

Dr Lahkar added that the women could play a great role in dissuading their men and sons to refrain from indulging in poaching and other illegal activities inside the park.

The women for the trip inside Manas are being selected from 120 women self-help groups (SHGs) which are working in coordination with Aaranyak for exploration of alternative livelihood options.

A representative of the Sonali SHG who was among the first batch of 100 women to have visited Manas, said, “All along it (the park) has been so close to us, but we have got a chance to visit and see its wonderful inside. Now, after my visit, I have realised, how beautiful and important it is for us all. We are overwhelmed by the experience and we must preserve it at any cost.”

The women visitors shared their experience during an interaction with park director Sonali Ghosh and Assistant Conservator of Forest DD Boro.

A total of 1,200 village women will be facilitated to visit Manas in different groups within the current winter. The MNP authorities have promised not to charge any fee from such women groups visiting the park keeping in mind the important role they can play in boosting conservation efforts in Manas.

Manas National Park is a 2,840-sq km of picturesque landscape characterised by rich floral and faunal resources and located in western Assam on the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas. It is a unique wildlife protection area in the country which has got five different conservation statuses – Tiger Reserve, World Heritage Site, Biosphere Reserve, National Park and Elephant Reserve. Manas is arguably the only wildlife habitat which harbours more than 20 Schedule I species as listed in the Wildlife Protection Act of India.

 
SOURCE : http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=oct3013/state05
 


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