GUWAHATI: Nineteen fringe villagers inhabiting a contiguous forest patch covering 23 square kilometres with first addition to Manas National Park in Assam on the west and the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan on the north pledged support to the “Golden Langur Habitat Conservation” project, with the first boundary pillar and welcome signage erected on Monday.
The demarcation process of the area was subsequently initiated as part of the project conceived by New Horizon, a community-based organisation under the guidance of Chirang Forest Division, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and supported by the Wildlife Trust of India and its international partner, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Official sources said that in the coming days, the area demarcation would be completed by the forest department with the support of the fringe villagers.
“Subsequently, a proposal for declaring the area as a “Conservation Reserve” will be moved to the State Wildlife Board, Assam for ensuring legal protection under Wildlife (Protection) Act. The area, if approved by the State Board, will be the first Conservation Reserve in the state and the region,” the source said.
The initiative has gained momentum with the Assam forest department along the local community and NGOs of Chirang district joining hands to conserve wildlife and protect the state’s forest resources from encroachment.
The habitat of the area comprises mixed moist deciduous forests, which support a good population of Golden Langur, the population status of which was found to be 74 during the first of its kind census for the primate in 2004. Regular sightings by the forest staff and villagers have been recorded since then.
Officials of the department of environment and forest, BTC, village level committees, representatives from women organisations, members of local NGOs, representatives of WTI-IFAW were present at the programme organised at Salbari fringe village under Chirang district on Monday.
Participants of the programme took the oath of conserving and protecting the area for Golden Langur, which is also the endemic species of BTC and the official mascot of the BTC administration.