Pasighat: In a continued effort to raise awareness among communities in fringe villages around Arunachal Pradesh’s D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, the Community Surveillance & Monitoring Team (CSMT) and Eco-Development Committee (EDC) of the sanctuary conducted a two-day awareness programme on deterring wildlife crimes at Sika Tode and Mer villages on Thursday and Friday.
The day-one programme was held at Sika Tode village, on the right bank of the Siang River within the D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, under the leadership of Tatem Jamoh and Satish Pao, president and secretary respectively of the CSMT/EDC, guided by the unit’s adviser, Nalo Tasing.
The programme was attended by Kempi Ete, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary; Annu Paboh Komut, Zila Parishad Member from the 5-Oyan segment under the 37th Pasighat West constituency; Gaon Burah, GPMs, village secretary of Tode village, and other community members.
Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, DFO Kempi Ete said, “The complete protection and conservation of wildlife and forests in D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary is not possible without the cooperation and support of the community people around the sanctuary.” She sought the wholehearted support of people from the fringe villages of the sanctuary.
She added, “The sanctuary is now becoming healthier and more protected with the support of many like-minded, pro-conservation individuals and teams who are extending their full cooperation to the management of the sanctuary. With collective responsibility, we will be able to turn our sanctuary into one of the best wildlife tourism destinations in the state and the region in the near future.”
Ete also informed the villagers about the enhanced compensation rates for crop damages by wild animals and for any loss of life due to man-animal conflicts. She advised them to apply for compensation in cases of crop raids or human injury from wild animals, while urging the community to discourage any hunting in protected areas such as sanctuaries and reserved forests.
ZPM Annu Paboh Komut urged the forest and wildlife department to create safe passages for wild elephants at Poba Reserved Forest, where National Highway-515 passes through. She said, “With the four-lane construction of NH-515, roadside barricades are being built, which will be an obstacle for wild elephants that pass through D. Ering WLS-Poba to Gutin RF and toward the hills and mountains.”
Tatem Jamoh, president of the Anchalghat WL Range unit of CSMT/EDC, informed the villagers, “We urge everyone to cooperate in the conservation and protection of wildlife in D. Ering WLS. Anyone found hunting will be held accountable from now on.”
The day-two programme at Mer village, on the left bank of the sanctuary, was attended by RFO Jonai/Poba RF Debabrata Gogoi, RFO Sibiyamukh WL Range Oyem Mize, former Monggu Banggo-II ZPM and Chairman of Kotga Gora Community Reserve Gumin Tayeng, Sibiyamukh WL unit president Uneswar Perme, CSMT/EDC Coordinator Okii Modi, Honorary Wildlife Warden East Siang District-cum-Chairman CSMT/EDC Maksam Tayeng, Aaranyak Deputy Director Jimmy Borah, Senior Project Officer Ivy Farheen Hussain, and village GBs and leaders from Mer village.
The awareness programme concluded with a call to preserve and protect the rich biodiversity of the sanctuary and its surrounding region and to take strict action against anyone attempting hunting in restricted areas despite the rules.
After the programme, Range Officer Jonai, Debabrata Gogoi, visited the Sibiya Chapori/Siboguri camp of the Sibiyamukh WL Range of D. Ering WLS, accompanied by members of CSMT/EDC and the Honorary Wildlife Warden.
The two-day programme was sponsored by Aaranyak, the Guwahati-based environmental conservation NGO. CSMT is a key part of Aaranyak’s strategy to use local knowledge for protecting endangered species and habitats, aiming to combat wildlife crime by empowering communities to monitor, report, and deter illegal activities, fostering grassroots conservation and alternative livelihoods.