Guwahati, April 25: With objective to create a synergy in the efforts to check wildlife crime and involve the common people, Meghalaya Police have joined hands with premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) to organise workshop in Tura for police, forest personnel as well as Nokmas and village heads of five districts across Garo hills region of Meghalaya.
The workshop held in the district auditorium, Tura on Monday highlighted role of the common masses in conservation of biodiversity through prevention of wildlife crime as well as the efficacy of laws pertaining to wildlife crime, according to a communique issued by Aaranyak here today.
Inaugurating the workshop C V S Reddy, DIG, Western Range of Meghalaya Police who has taken this key initiative to hold the workshop on “Wildlife crime scenario and its various dimensions”, said stated that human beings would go extinct if biodiversity is not there and hence it is the responsibility of human beings to protect biodiversity by checking wild life crime.
Stating that unprecedented heatwave experienced in Garo Hills region may be due to wanton destruction of forest cover, the police official underlined the need to use new agriculture technologies to reduce area under shifting cultivation that requires burning of forest.
The DIG said ‘Forest Man of India’ Jadav Payeng who has converted a barren sandbar island to a thick forest in Assam, is glaring example of how a common man can make huge contribution towards biodiversity conservation.
Divisional Forest Officer of West and South West Garo Hills Division Ganesan P was present in the workshop and responded to some queries in the interactive session.
Deputy Superintendent of Police from SWGH, Ravi Kumar Sangma explained what transpired in workshop in Garo language for better understanding the village heads and Nokmas and common people in the audience.
The Northeast India by virtue of its unique altitudinal gradient is very rich in biodiversity, especially in Garo hills as the area is having Nokrek Biosphere Reserve and Balphakram National Park, zone and hence could attract the bad eyes of wildlife criminals out to plunder bio-resources in the area vulnerable to the burgeoning wildlife crime that has acquired an alarming global proportion, according to internationally-acclaimed conservation scientist, Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, the Secretary General and CEO of Aaranyak.
“The Constitution of India has put the onus of conservation of Biodiversity – the precious faunal and floral resources – on every citizen whose wellbeing is directly related to the state of biodiversity that provides our livelihood, cater to our essential need of pure potable water and pure air,” Dr Talukdar said emphasizing on the important role of common people in conservation of wildlife and habitats.
A former member of National Board of Wildlife, Dr Talukdar laid emphasis on synergized efforts for conservation of wildlife and prevention of wildlife crime which poses threat to national security because of nexus with arms smugglers, drug cartel and militants and stated that successful conservation of wildlife species leads to conservation of habitats.
Officers from different ranks of Meghalaya Police and Forest Department from all five districts of Garo hills region were apprised of the key clauses of Wildlife, Forest and Environment Laws, especially Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 by Environment Lawyer Ajoy Kumar Das who is associated with Aaranyak.
He explained the efficacy of these law provisions through a lucid presentation that induced engrossing interactions with the police and forest officials and even village heads and Nokmas present.
Focus of his presentation was to sensitise the officials from enforcement and investigating agencies about the difference between Wildlife cases and other cases as well as how to deal with the amendments incorporated into the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
He also explained the investigation procedure and way of filing of complaint petition before the court by the authorised investigation officers so as to increase conviction rate in wildlife crime cases.
Nokmas and village heads participating in the workshop flagged hazards of wildlife crime and human elephant conflict pertaining to their areas and sought cooperation and assistant from both government and non-government agencies.