When every state in India is gearing up to celebrate the 64th Wildlife Week from October 2 to 8, Assam seems to be the only exception.
The Assam Government issued a full-page advertisement, featuring a smiling State Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal with the pride of Assam – the one-horned rhinos and other wildlife, (see picture) in all major dailies of the State on Monday (October 1, 2018) stated that Wildlife Week is from October 1 to 7.
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Also read: Assam State Zoo gears up to celebrate Wildlife Week in big way
But when contacted over phone, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, D P Bankwal, admitted that it was a ‘gross mistake’ by the media managers of the State Government.
“The dates are fixed by the Union Government and no one can change or alter the dates under any circumstances,” Bankwal said.
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So the advertisement faux pas is yet another blatant example of sheer ignorance of those at the helm of affairs in media management of the State Government.
The advertisement is being published by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations under the advertisement number: janasanyog/D/5315/18.
Assam Forest and Environment Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, however, could not be contacted despite several attempts as he did not pick up the phone.
Wildlife Week is celebrated all over the country from October 2 to 8 every year with the view to preserve the fauna means the animal life of the India.
Wild Life Week 2018 will be celebrated across the country from Tuesday to the October 8 with the theme ‘Big cats – predators under threat’.
The Wildlife Week is celebrated to arouse the general awakening of the people in the country towards the protection of wildlife.
The Government of India organizes a variety of activities throughout the week through the environmentalists, activists, educators who encourage and accelerate the people mind to become aware of the wildlife conservation.
The Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Assam has lately been inviting criticism from several quarters for inadequate handling of state matters.
The DIPR on May 24, 2018 published a document in Hindi – Parivartan, which highlighted the good works of Sarbananda Sonowal –led BJP government during the last two years in Assam.
One of the inside covers of the Hindi document had the list of Editorial Board of the publication by the DIPR. At the top of the list names of the two members of the Advisory Committee were printed.
The name of Hrishikesh Goswami, Media Adviser to the Chief Minister was at the top and that too in bold fonts, and below it was name of T Y Das, the then Chief Secretary of Assam.
On yet another occasion, the DIPR held an elaborate function for a petty matter like distribution of accreditation cards to journalists and to top it all, Assam Chief Minister was made to distribute the same ceremonially despite his busy schedule.