Yupia, Jun 16: A district level consultative workshop for  the Arunachal Pradesh  State  Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan(SBSAP) was held in Yupia on  Friday.
The multisectoral consultative meeting which saw participation from PRI members, government officials, NGOs and SHGs sought inputs for preparing the State Action Plan for conserving nature, promoting sustainable use of nature and adopting sustainable development pathways.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Cheechung Chukhu suggested for seeking inputs from the people at the grassroot level for framing the SBSAP as he believed that "it is the livelihood of the people at the last mile which are affected most by conservation plans and programs and that a middle pathway needs to be worked out to balance conservation and livelihood activities."
He also called for denouncing the lackadaisical attitude towards deforestation and urged all to help maintain the state's green cover.
 Ranju Dodum, Senior Program Officer, WWF while highlighting the importance of biodiversity conservation in Arunachal Pradesh and the role of the SBSAP in ensuring sustainable development and protection of flora and fauna in the region, informed that similar workshops are being conducted in all the districts to obtain inputs from all the stakeholders before finalising the SBSAP.
District Agriculture Officer, Maze Peil called for promoting and conserving indigenous germplasm, government support for land terracing to discourage jhum cultivation and installation of fish ladders in the dams to replenish fish from downstream to upstreams.
Liamkham Afi, BMM, ArSLM Doimukh  suggested for adopting 'endangered animal, plant, bird , butterflies etc as mascots for each district, while narrating how the hollock gibbon, an endangered species was protected and multiplied after it was declared the state animal in Tirap district.
ZPC Nabam Yakum, ZPM Sangdupota Tok Hina, DPDO Bengia Yakar, ArSLM BMMs Takhe Ampi, Techi Nadam and Gyamar Kampung, DHO Tobom Bam, DVO Dr. Monya Kato Jini, Dr. Bamin Yakha, Research Officer also presented their views.
They raised  concerns  regarding the lack of awareness on conservation activities and funds, the need for marketing linkages and employment generation, the need to protect local wildlife, such as Mithuns and local fishes and also the need to protect  natural drinking water sources.
Constitution of Biodiversity Conservation Committees/ boards at the Gram Panchayat level  was also discussed during the meeting and directives were issued to the DPDO to expedite the formation of the committee for onward submission to the government.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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