Guwahati: The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Jaintia Hills Wildlife Division, Government of Meghalaya, conducted a three-day awareness programme on the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, and wildlife species identification to strengthen enforcement against illegal wildlife trade along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The programme, held from July 21 to 24, covered three locations: Dawki BSF Border Outpost on July 21, Umkiang BSF Border Outpost on July 23, and the Lungwalieh Panaliar Community Hall in Jowai on July 24.
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A total of 33 BSF personnel from the 4 BN BSF in Dawki, 31 personnel from the 172 BN BSF in Umkiang, and 24 community members in Jowai participated in the sessions.
The initiative was led by N Laloo, DFO of the Jaintia Hills Wildlife Division, with technical support from the Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) of Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation organisation based in India.
Resource persons from Aaranyak included Jimmy Borah (Deputy Director), Binita Baruwati (Deputy Manager), Ivy Farheen Hussain (Senior Project Officer), and Bijit Boro (Assistant Project Officer).
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The sessions focused on provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, penalties for violations, species identification techniques, and community roles in reporting illegal wildlife activities.
Speaking at the event, Laloo highlighted the need for accurate species identification and law enforcement capacity to implement the Act effectively. She acknowledged the role of the BSF in border protection and preventing cross-border wildlife crime.
The programme aimed to increase legal and ecological awareness among enforcement personnel and local residents, with emphasis on collaboration in protecting biodiversity in border areas.