A two-day awareness programme was carried out in villages around the D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh to discourage wildlife crime and to strengthen community support for conservation work. The programme was organised by the Community Surveillance & Monitoring Team (CSMT) and the Eco-Development Committee (EDC), with support from the environmental organisation Aaranyak. The awareness drive was held on Thursday and Friday at Sika Tode village on the right bank of the Siang River and Mer village on the left bank of the sanctuary. The main aim of the programme was to explain to villagers why protecting wildlife is important and how collective efforts can help stop hunting and illegal activities in and around the sanctuary. The programme also focused on reducing conflicts between people and wild animals. The first day’s programme at Sika Tode was led by CSMT/EDC Anchalghat Wildlife Range Unit president Tatem Jamoh and secretary Satish Pao, under the guidance of adviser Nalo Tasing. The meeting was attended by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Kempi Ete, Zila Parishad Member from 5-Oyan Zila segment, Annu Paboh Komut, village leaders and local residents.
Speaking at the event, DFO Kempi Ete said that wildlife and forest protection cannot succeed without the support of people living near the sanctuary. She noted that the sanctuary has already seen positive changes because communities are cooperating with the department. She also said that with continued support, the sanctuary could become an important wildlife tourism site in the region. She further informed villagers that the compensation amount for crop loss, injury and death caused by wild animals has been increased. She encouraged villagers to follow proper procedures to apply for compensation instead of resorting to hunting or retaliatory actions. Zila Parishad Member Annu Paboh Komut raised concern about the movement of wild elephants along the Ruksin–Pasighat stretch of National Highway-515 near Poba Reserved Forest. She said that new roadside barricades coming up under the four-lane project should not block elephant corridors that link D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary with nearby forest areas. CSMT/EDC president Tatem Jamoh urged villagers to cooperate with the forest department and warned that hunting would not be tolerated.
The second day of the programme was held at Mer village. It was attended by Range Forest Officer (Jonai/Poba RF) Debabrata Gogoi, RFO Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range Oyem Mize, former Zila Parishad Member and chairman of Kotga Gora Community Reserve, Gumin Tayeng, Sibiyamukh Wildlife Unit president Uneswar Perme, CSMT/EDC coordinator Okii Modi, Honorary Wildlife Warden of East Siang district and CSMT/EDC chairman, Maksam Tayeng, along with representatives from Aaranyak and village elders. The participants once again stressed the need to stop wildlife crime and protect the rich biodiversity of the sanctuary. The programme ended with a collective understanding that wildlife hunting and illegal activities would not be accepted in the area. After the awareness programme, RFO Debabrata Gogoi visited the Sibiya Chapori/Siboguri camp of the Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range along with CSMT/EDC members and the Honorary Wildlife Warden. The initiative was sponsored by Aaranyak, a conservation NGO based in Guwahati. The CSMT is an important part of Aaranyak’s approach to involve local people in wildlife protection by helping them report and prevent illegal activities, while at the same time encouraging sustainable livelihood options.
