Guwahati, Feb 8: As many as 160 members of 32 Village Defence Parties (VDPs) located around the rhino abode of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP&TR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam, were provided with field gears including torch lights and sweaters by biodiversity conservation and research organisation Aaranyak under the sponsorship of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) on February 7.
The field gears were distributed among the VDP members in a programmes organised in Bokakhat Police Station campus with collaboration from Kaziranga National Park authority and Golaghat District Police.
The VDPs located around Kaziranga National Park have been complementing the conservation of wildlife especially the precious one-horned Indian rhinoceros in the national park and their role has been instrumental in eliciting cooperation from the fringe area villagers in protection and conservation of wildlife in the park.
In appreciation of relentless service provided by these VDPs, Aaranyak has been supporting Village Defence Party (VDP) with field gears and basic field equipment whenever the opportunity presents or the need arises
The field gears distribution programme was graced by Ramesh Kumar Gogoi, DFO, Kaziranga National Park, Dhurbajyoti Nath, Additional SP. Kaziranga NP, Anita Hazarika, SDPO, Bokakhat, Bitupan Chetia, OC, Bokakhat Police Station, Mridul Bora, President Bokakhat Thana Committee and Arif Ahmed, COBDO, Bokakhat VDP. These eminent persons interacted with the VDP members and encouraged them to continue working towards future conservation.
During the programme, Arif Hussain, Manager RRCD of Aaranyak and Sanjib Kumar Bezbaruah, member of Aaranyak were felicitated by Anita Hazarika, SDPO, Bokakhat as a token of appreciation for supporting the VDPs which work in coordination with local police.