‘Village Defence Party members instrumental in protecting animals of expanded Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve'

Guwahati: In the wake of expansion of the Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP & TR) in Assam, the responsibility of all the stakeholders have increased manifold in respect of mounting surveillance for protection of wildlife of the park. “However, the role of Village Defence Party (VDP) members have become instrumental in prevention of wildlife crime in ONP & TR as they are the first responders and vigilantes in their respective area of operation on the fringe villages. Their role should be more preventive than curative,” said the Field Director of the Tiger Reserve Pradipta Baruah.

The Field Director was addressing the members of various VDPs attending a sensitisation workshop on wildlife crime organized on February 21 in Borbhagia Belsiri Gaon Panchayat community hall at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district of Assam. The workshop was organized by Aaranyak in collaboration with the Orang Tiger Reserve Authorities, Sonitpur District Police, Village Defence Organisation (Government of Assam) and district administration of Sonitpur with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Field Director Baruah said, “It has been a dream of the Assam Forest Department to link the two nature’s bounties in the State - Orang Tiger Reserve and Kaziranga Tiger Reserve - so that wild animals can make seamless to-and-fro movements between these two protected areas. The dream was realized after the recent expansion of the area of the park.” He also took the opportunity to discuss various issues on the park authority-fringe villager’s interfaces.

The sensitisation workshop was participated by members from Photasimulu Gaon VDP, Borbhogia VDP, Isalamari VDP, Pub-nisolamari Non-K VDP, Bosasimulu Teg Bosti VDP, Pub-Photasimulu VDP, Paschim Borbhogia VDP, and Photasimulu Block Non-K VDP.

In his welcome speech, Aaranyak official Sanjib Kumar Bezburuah explained the purpose of the event and highlighted the urgent need for such a workshop on wildlife crime at Borsola after expansion of the Tiger Reserve through its second addition from 78.82 Sq.Km  to 200.32 Sq. Km. The workshop was presided over by Pran Krishna Das, Chairman of the Borsola Bazar Committee, and eminent social worker of that region.

The Senior Law Consultant of Aaranyak Ajoy Kumar Das explained the organogram of the Village Defence Organisation (VDO) of Assam, which is headed by the Director General of Police. He also talked about the history of how late Harinarayan Baruah, in 1949, coined the idea by encouraging a team of village youths to look after and safeguard their own village. “Later, the idea was preferred by many and implemented in their respective villages. The journey led to the formation of an organisation, which was named the VDO and a team in the village was called the VDP.  The process culminated in the passing of legislation called the Village Defence Organisation Act 1966,” Das said, stated a press release.

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