Guwahati, Dec 13: In the wake of expansion of area of Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP & TR) in Assam, the authority of the Park is on a drive to sensitise the members of Village Defence Party (VDP) in fringe villages of the Second Addition of the Park in bolstering protection measures.
Following expansion, the arras Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve has increased from 78.82 square kilometres to 200.32 square kilometres with the eastern boundary of Park now been extended till Singri near Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district.
The members of the VDP of Singri were sensitised on the important role they can play in checking and preventing wildlife crime at the periphery of state’s one of the prized wildlife protection area during a workshop on “Combating Wildlife Crime through Awareness” at Paschim Chitalmari Rangamancha, Singri, which was addressed by Pradipta Baruah, the Field Director of the ONP & TR and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Mangaldoi Wildlife Division.
He explained how and why wild animals from Orang park may stray out and the important roles the VDP members of the area can play in securing these wildlife species.
Baruah said, “VDPs are the eyes and ears of the state police department. So, he requested that they also become the eyes and ears of the state forest department. The VDP members can be like a modern-day ‘Drone’ in monitoring and preventing wildlife crime.”
He urged VDOP members to alert the forest officials promptly if they see any suspicious person in their village as such strangers may be plotting poaching of park animals.
The Field Director also traced back the history of the Orang wildlife habitat area since the year 1915, when the colonial British authority had declared it an Orang Game Reserve, till date and its importance as a biodiversity area.
The ONP&TR authority in collaboration with premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), Sonitpur Police and Village Defence Organisation, organised the sensitisation workshop on December 3 with support from US Fish & Wildlife Service which was attended by about 80 participants, consisting of panchayat members, local villagers, and primarily VDP members. It Was presided over by Gop Bahudur Thapa, an eminent social worker of the area. Rajib Hazarika, Assistant Conservator of Forests, was also present in the workshop.
Rajen Thapa, the secretary of the Village Defence Party of the Singri Police Outpost, set the workshop on the roll by his welcome address. Thapa requested the Forest Department to have a wildlife camp near Shangri. Aaranyak Official Sanjib Kumar Bezburuah, explained the purpose of the workshop.
Legal Consultant of Aaranyak and an Advocate of Gauhati High Court Ajoy Kumar Das, explained that VDPs in Assam have a legal mandate under the Village Defence Organisation Act 1966 and the Rule 1986.
He flagged how VDP members can play a key role in wildlife crime abatement and nabbing wildlife offenders. He explained that a police officer cannot be bound to disclose the source of information and therefore, the VDP members should assist the Police and Forest Department without fear, as their names will never be disclosed in their investigation diaries.
The in-charge of the Singri Police Outpost, Raj Kumar Taye stated as the boundaries of the park have reached near Singri village, it has therefore become important that the VDPs remain vigilant all the time against wildlife crimes.
Forest official Pranjit Deka lauded the VDP members for extending immense helped to the forest department in the past and hoped for similar cooperation from VDP members in securing wildlife in the area.
The Secretary General and CEO of Aaranyak, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has expressed his gratitude to the Forest Department and VDP members for their support in organising the workshop successfully.