Assam: BGLA organises essay competition on forest and wildlife conservation

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: Coinciding with the celebration of the 80th Independence Day, the Bodoland Golden Langurs Association (BGLA), an NGO working for biodiversity conservation, organised an essay-writing competition on the role of youths in the conservation of forests and wildlife in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region. The initiative aimed to create awareness among students about the importance of biodiversity conservation.

The competition was conducted especially for students of high schools and junior colleges in the peripheral areas of Raimona National Park, Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park and Charaikhola Wildlife Sanctuary, where the protection of forests, wildlife and habitats has become increasingly crucial in the face of rampant encroachment. More than 100 students participated in the essay-writing competition.

Bresina Marak, a Class IX student of Nayekgaon Janapriya High School, Sanswrang Narzary of Jalaishri High School and Geremsha Narzary of Bashbari High School secured the first, second and third positions respectively. They received certificates and cash prizes of Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively. Jeniash Koch of Zomduar Junior College, Birbhasan Basumatary of Jalaishri High School and Amisha Mashahary of UN Academy, Bishmuri, received consolation prizes.

BTC Joint Secretary Kuldip Basumatary, Joint Director of Information and Public Relations, Assam, Ansuma Mahilary, Regional Officer-cum-CHD, I&PR Department, BTC, Gagan Chandra Narzary, and Dr Bichitra Narzary, Assistant Professor, Kokrajhar University, distributed the prizes at a ceremony held on August 15 at the conference hall of the office of the CHD, I&PR, BTC.

Speaking on the occasion, BTC Joint Secretary Kuldip Basumatary stressed the need to create greater awareness among students about forest and wildlife conservation. He said global warming caused by large-scale destruction of forests across the world had become a matter of grave concern and that restoring forest cover was a primary responsibility of every citizen.

He also said unabated illegal encroachment in the reserve forests of the BTC region was destroying wildlife habitats and contributing to an increase in human-animal conflicts. He called upon students to actively think about and contribute to the protection and conservation of forests and wildlife. Basumatary also thanked the BGLA for organising the essay-writing competition on the theme of forest and wildlife conservation.

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