2000 Airguns Surrendered by Locals of Arunachal Pradesh Vowing to Shun Hunting

ITANAGAR: An awareness campaign over shun hunting by the Environment and Forest Ministry in Arunachal Pradesh has led to the surrender of over 2000 airguns and a few rifles voluntarily by locals of the state.

On Friday 19 November, Mama Natung, Environment and Forest Minister of Arunachal Pradesh said that over 2000 guns and some rifles have been voluntarily submitted by the local people of the state vowing to avoid hunting animals and birds for their own benefits.

The Minister also mentioned that the government did not enact any law for shun hunting nor does it force the people of the state to do the same but it has created awareness through a campaign and appealed to locals to voluntarily surrender their airguns.

Notably, the campaign has created awareness among people that has led to the submission of over 2000 airguns and some rifles willingly by the locals of Arunachal Pradesh which is considered by the Minister as a great victory for the campaign.

Natung further added that the awareness on avoiding the hunting of animals should not be limited to the state of Arunachal Pradesh itself but this model needs to be followed in all the parts of India for the betterment of the environment and future of the country.

Community hunting has been practiced in the state of Arunachal Pradesh for centuries said Natung while addressing the three-day 6th edition of the Northeast Green Summit. In the Northeast Green Summit the Department of Forest, Climate and Environment of Arunachal Pradesh has received the Conservation Award for Airgun surrender Abhiyan.

In the meantime, Parimal Suklabaidya, Forest Minister of Assam said that he would put forward the proposal of creating a new wildlife sanctuary to the Government of Assam. He would suggest a new wildlife sanctuary with an area of 320 sq km in Barak Valley in the southern part of Assam.

Suklabaidya also said that the State government has recently announced the Dihing-Patkai wildlife sanctuary located in eastern Assam as a National park. This initiative by the Assam government expresses its commitment to the conservation of nature and the environment.

Rajdeep Roy, a member of Lok Sabha while focusing on the urgent need for wildlife conservation in Barak Valley said that the southern region of the state is a residence of 100 different species of mammals and 550 species of birds. He said that necessary steps will be taken in the conservation of greenery of the area and in protecting the Barak Valley comprising three districts, Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakhandhi.

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