Correspondent
PASIGHAT, Oct 6: East Siang Deputy Commissioner said that gun owners lending their firearms to hunters will be equally treated as hunters and will be punished along similar lines.
DC Tayi Taggu was speaking as chief guest at the 70th National Wildlife Week celebration at Seram village community hall organized by the Eco-Development Committee-cum-Community Surveillance & Monitoring Team (EDC/CSMT) of D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in collaboration with D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary and Aaranyak, a reputed NGO based in Guwahati.
EDC/CSMT President of Borguli WL range fringe villages, Amit Modi expressed hope that the public will also cooperate in stopping the growing drug menace.
Range Officer (Sibiyamukh/Namsing Range) of D. Ering WLS, Oyem Mize said that hunting incidents in the sanctuary from fringe villages is reducing gradually. She appealed to the village elders and GBs to support the sanctuary management in restricting hunting of wildlife in and around the sanctuary. GB of Seram village also spoke on the occasion and later submitted a memorandum to the DC.
DFO, Kempi Ete said the sanctuary belongs to the public and its protection and conservation also rests on them. Public must support the wildlife department, as it alone can’t fully secure the sanctuary, she said. She also informed that the Rhino translocation/relocation in the sanctuary is in the process and once it is done the sanctuary will become a noted tourist destination and such tourist flow will benefit the public directly and indirectly.
EDC/CSMT Chairman, Maksam Tayeng said that the D. Ering WLS is rapidly regaining its lost glory owing to the hard and dedicated efforts made in the last 5-6 years to secure the sanctuary from hunting by taking drastic actions against habitual and notorious hunters. “Because of the improved protection and wildlife population multiplying gradually which creates conducive environment for new initiative in the sanctuary, the Rhino and Tiger reintroduction process in the sanctuary is on with the active initiative of 39th Mebo MLA, Oken Tayeng with the support of state’s Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, which once done will economically benefit the people of fringe villages in the form of eco-tourism,” he said.
Several other prominent dignitaries also shared their thoughts.