By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 26: Security personnel and communities living along the India-Bangladesh border recently participated in a focused three-day awareness campaign aimed at combating illegal wildlife trafficking, spearheaded by the Forest department.
Held from July 21 to 24, the initiative, led by Divisional Forest Officer N. Laloo of the Jaintia Hills Wildlife Division, aimed to build capacity among Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and local residents on the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 2022, and enhance their ability to identify species commonly smuggled through the international boundary.
Key locations covered under the programme included the BSF Border Outposts at Dawki and Umkiang and the Lungwalieh Panaliar Community Hall in Jowai. Over 60 BSF personnel and 24 local community members actively participated in the sessions.
The campaign received technical support from biodiversity NGO Aaranyak, whose Legal and Advocacy Division led the training. The expert team was headed by Deputy Director Dr. Jimmy Borah, and included Binita Baruwati, Ivy Farheen Hussain and Bijit Boro, who conducted sessions on wildlife law enforcement, species recognition and grassroots vigilance.
During the campaign, DFO Laloo highlighted the vital role of border forces in curbing trafficking and stressed the importance of empowering frontline personnel with legal knowledge and ecological awareness.
She argued that Wildlife crime cannot be effectively tackled without the active involvement of those positioned at the frontline.
Beyond enforcement, the programme also aimed to deepen community engagement. Residents were educated about the ecological impact of wildlife trafficking and were encouraged to report illegal activities and support conservation efforts.
By aligning law enforcement, expert training and community awareness, the campaign marked a coordinated and proactive approach to safeguarding biodiversity in one of Meghalaya’s most ecologically fragile and strategically significant zones.