SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday inaugurated the first ever Amur Falcon Festival in the State at Sailyndong playground at Tyrso under Mawhati constituency in Ri Bhoi.
The festival was organized by Tyrso Valley Wildlife Protection Society with support from the Basin Development Unit, Ri Bhoi and local MLA Julius K Dorphang, to mark the annual migration of Amur Falcons to Tyrso and Umru villages in the months of October and November.
The villagers of the area have taken upon themselves the responsibility of protecting these winged visitors and allow them to settle at Umru village till they depart from there. As desired by the Chief Minister, it has been decided to make the festival an annual event with the support of the State Government.
Falcons depart before fest
It may be mentioned that the Amur Falcon (Falco Amurensis) breeds in South-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over Arabian Sea for winter in Southern Africa. These falcons have one of the longest migration routes meeting many dangers on their way.
Unfortunately during the festival, these falcons which made Umru their home for about a month from around mid-October had already departed from the area as winter started getting severe, dashing all hopes of the visitors of having a glimpse these birds.
Delivering his address, Sangma commended the members of the Society for their humble initiative of creating a platform not only to protect these migratory guests but also for their resolve to engage in positive action of preserving wildlife and biodiversity in the area.
“The fact that this area is a destination for these birds proves that it has a potential to be a tourist destination,” he said.
He also called upon the Society to look at other indigenous varieties of birds in the State for whom they can create a habitation in the area and urged upon the people to discuss and identify a beautiful place which can be developed as a bird sanctuary for the indigenous varieties of birds and also identify a place where the Tourism department can develop facilities for people to come and stay overnight.
Parliamentary Secretaries Kennedy C. Khyriem and Celestine Lyngdoh and Deputy Commissioner Pooja Pandey also spoke on the occasion while local MLA of Mawhati, Julius K. Dorphang presided over the inaugural programme.
The Chief Minister and other dignitaries also visited the stalls put up on the occasion, including the stall dedicated to Amur Falcons.
