sivasagar earth day
Image: Northeast Now

On the occasion of ‘World Earth Day’, the Forest and Tourism Department of Sivasagar district in eastern Assam with a joint initiative undertook a plantation drive on April 22, 2019 and planted almost 140 saplings of fruit plants and tall trees at Pohugarh in the district.

DFO (Territorial) Jayashri Naiding, IFS, DFO (Social Forestry) Bidyut Borthakur, assistant tourist information officer Madhab Das, Forest range officers and beat officers participated in the plantation drive.

“This kind of drive will continue till World Environment Day”, informed Madhab Das, assistant tourist information officer.

This plantation is aimed at growing fruit plants and tall trees in order to facilitate food and preserve the natural habitat of the wildlife as well as the avifauna of the region.

Notably earlier this year the district administration had prohibited picnic, illegal fishing, hunting, littering and playing of loud music in Pohugarh area of the district.

The order has been issued in consequent upon report of Divisional Forest Officer of Sivasagar Social Forestry Division and the assistant tourist information officer of Sivasagar, that there are some increasing activities in Pohugarh area like picnic, illegal fishing, hunting, littering and playing of loud music creating unhealthy environment for the birds for nesting, rest and feeding ground.

It may be mentioned that Ahom Swargadeo Rudra Singha developed Pohugarh, a place near Jaysagar, as natural zoo and the area was arranged in a manner to retain the water body throughout the year to create it as a natural habitat for the wildlife and the avi-fauna.

Subsequently, this area became a paradise for local and migratory birds during the winter season.