Wildlife Crime Workshop is held by the Meghalaya Police.
Guwahati: Meghalaya Police on Monday organised a workshop on wildlife conservation, during which the effectiveness of the laws pertaining to wildlife crimes and the role of the general public in the conservation of biodiversity were highlighted.
The programme was put on by the Meghalaya Police in collaboration with Aaranyak, a renowned group for the conservation of biodiversity that is based in Guwahati and has a presence in eastern India.
In the welcome address, CVS Reddy, DIG, Western Range of Meghalaya Police, said, “Human beings would go extinct if biodiversity is not there as we human beings, animals, birds, plants etc., all are part of the same ecosystem as well as the food chain. If the food chain is disrupted at some point, the entire ecosystem is affected.”
He cited the recent, exceptional temperature that the Garo Hills area had endured and added, “It may be because of the wanton destruction of forest cover.”
He also emphasised the necessity of utilising innovative agricultural practises to decrease the area under shifting cultivation that requires burning of forest cover.
The DIG also gave the example of Jadav Payeng, known as the Forest Man of India, who transformed a barren sandbar island in Assam into a dense forest.
Ganesan P, the divisional forest officer for the West and South West Garo Hills Division, attended the training and participated in the interactive session, answering certain questions.
Deputy Superintendent of Police from South West Garo Hills, R K Sangma, recounted what happened in the workshop in Garo for the benefit of the village chiefs, Nokmas, and regular people in the audience.
As a result of its distinctive altitudinal gradient, Northeast India is home to a wealth of biodiversity, particularly in the Garo hills, which are also home to the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve and Balphakram National Park. According to Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, the secretary-general and CEO of Aaranyak, this makes the region particularly vulnerable to the burgeoning wildlife crime that has taken on alarming proportions around the world.
Dr. Talukdar emphasised the crucial role that ordinary people play in protecting wildlife and habitats, saying that every citizen in India is now responsible for preserving biodiversity, which includes the priceless fauna and floral resources that support our way of life and provide us with necessities like clean drinking water and fresh air.
He also praised Meghalaya Police for taking the initiative to invite important stakeholders to this training.
