Our correspondent
Itanagar: In a remarkable example of grassroots conservation, more than 2,400 airguns have been voluntarily surrendered by citizens across Arunachal Pradesh under the state’s pioneering “Airgun Surrender Abhiyan.”
The initiative, launched to curb the indiscriminate hunting of birds and wildlife, has emerged as a nationally acclaimed model, earning praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and global recognition at a UNESCO platform.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has described the movement as a proud moment for Arunachal, calling it a shining example of people-driven environmental action. “It reflects the strong ecological values of our people and our shared responsibility to protect biodiversity,” he said in a recent social media post, adding that the campaign aligns with the state government’s mission of reform and sustainable development under the “PEMA 3.0 – Year of Reforms & Growth” framework.
The campaign was launched in March 2021 at Lumdung village in East Kameng district, where 46 airguns were surrendered during the inaugural event.
Since then, the movement has gained momentum, supported by the Environment and Forest Department and led by former minister Mama Natung, who actively mobilised communities across the state. Over time, the campaign grew into a mass movement, with thousands of individuals giving up their airguns, nine licensed guns, and several power chains saw machines used for illegal logging.
The impact of the campaign is already visible, with reports of increased bird sightings and revival of local wildlife populations in many districts.
The initiative stood out for its community-oriented approach, combining traditional values with modern conservation goals. Regular awareness camps, rallies, and district-level outreach programmes were conducted in collaboration with local leaders, NGOs, student unions, and forest officials. The emphasis was on voluntary action and long-term behavioural change, not coercion.
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