Guwahati, June 10: Representatives of various NGOs from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have underscored a shared commitment to safeguard wildlife while underlining the need for organising sensitisation programmes for grassroot communities residing near the fringes of the D’Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh) and the Poba Reserve Forest (Assam).
The resolution to curb wildlife crimes along the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border was taken at an NGO-level coordination meeting held at Jonai on Saturday.
Twenty-two representatives of NGOs, including Aaranyak, Save Poba Rainforest (SPRF), Jonai, and the Community Surveillance and Monitoring Team (CSMT), Pasighat, took part in the meeting, which marked a significant step towards coordinated efforts to protect the rich biodiversity of the inter-state border region.
The participants unanimously agreed that educating the communities was crucial for prevention of wildlife crimes such as poaching and illegal trade.
Aaranyak officials Jimmy Borah and Ivy Farheen Hussain deliberated on various topics on deterring wildlife crimes in the area.
SPRF secretary Royal Pegu and president Rajib Pegu and their representatives, as well as CSMT lead from Pasighat, Maksam Tayeng and his team, also attended the meeting.
The meeting decided to launch two awareness campaigns – one on the Assam side and the other on the Arunachal side of the inter-state boundary. These campaigns would inform and engage local communities about the importance of wildlife conservation and the detrimental impacts of illegal activities (wildlife crimes) on the ecosystem.
Additionally, a comprehensive social survey will be conducted to assess the economic status of the communities living near the two critical wildlife habitats. The insights gained from the survey are expected to help develop alternative livelihood programmes, thereby reducing reliance on activities detrimental to wildlife.
A key outcome of the meeting was the proposed collaboration between CSMT and Village Defence Parties, aimed at enhancing monitoring and control measures to curb illegal wildlife trade in the region.