Dimapur, Aug. 9 (EMN): The Forest Department of Nagaland is undertaking an elaborate campaign to create awareness on conservation of forests and wildlife to mitigate human-animal conflict and wildlife crime in the state. Over the past week, the PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland, Satya Prakash Tripathi and his team has conducted programmes in different area like Tuensang, Phomching, Longlen and Tizit towns.
Reports reaching Eastern Mirror informed of the programmes being held successfully. The reports informed that the awareness campaign was sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi. The Chief Wildlife Warden Nagaland Satya Prakash Tripathi mostly highlighted the policies of the state government and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change New Delhi for addressing the problem. He also addressed the importance of Forest and Wildlife, scenario of forest and wildlife, wildlife crime, and concept of community reserved forests. For the benefit of our esteemed readers, the Eastern Mirror presents brief highlights of the awareness campaign being undertaken in the different areas.
Tuensang
The divisional forest office, Tuensang Forest division conducted the programme for the ‘awareness campaign for conservation of forests and wildlife to mitigate human-animal conflict and wildlife crime’ on Aug. 7 2018 at CKS Hall, which was attended by the SP of Tuensang, Bharat Laxman Markad IPS as the special invitee.
The PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland Satya Prakash Tripathi, in his keynote address, shared firsthand information and data on the forest cover of Nagaland. He imparted the knowledge on conservation of forest and wildlife, community reserve, wildlife crime and the responsibility of the people to be pro-active communities concerning the wildlife.
The chief wildlife warden also informed the participants to contact the forest officials and forest department for any resourceful enquiries and technical assistance. Members from different village councils, GBs and student bodies attended the programme.
Longleng
The forest department organized the programme at Sitap Village, Longleng on July 31 2018 which was attended by around 80 persons, mostly comprising of officers from the forest department, chairmen, GBs and village council members of nearby villages.
The Chief Wildlife Warden, Satya Prakash Tripathi enlightened the participants on the human-animal conflict especially with regard to the genesis of the human-animal conflict prevalent in the state in general and migratory elephant problem in Sitap.
The Wildlife Warden, Kiphire, Suman W M Sivachar IFS, deliberated on working of a territorial or wildlife forest divisions, and elaborated on the detailed procedure to be adopted for declaration of community reserves. He also explained about community reserves notified in the State, Longleng District and Sitap area. Besides, he also stressed about the ecological importance of wildlife with particular reference about the importance of each wildlife in the ecosystem with the examples of contributions of honey bees in pollination and communication behaviour among dolphins.
Tizit
The awareness campaign programme was held at Forest Colony, Tizit on July 31 which was attended by around 90 persons.
The Conservator of Forests, Northern Territorial Circle, Mokokchung and Director, Intanki National Park, Dimapur YM Jami IFS highlighted the existing human elephant conflict prevalent in the area due to migratory elephants moving between Assam and Nagaland. He appealed village councils to ban hunting throughout the area.
Phomching
The programme was held at Phomching Town Hall in Mon district on AUg. 1. Chief Wildlife Warden Nagaland Satya Prakash Tripathi appealed the people to come forward in declaring their forests in the community as reserves and contact the forest officials immediately in case of damage of their crops, properties and human life. SDPO Mon Vrinda Shukla, who graced the campaign as a special invitee, appreciated the sincere efforts of the forest department in reaching out to the people for conservation in spite of having lack of financial resources. She appealed the participants for forest and wildlife conservation, making availability of natural resources for future generation on a sustained basis.
