Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 30
Barely hours after The Morung Express carried news today about endangered wildlife being sold openly in the market in the city, the Dimapur Municipal Council today swooped into action and seized the birds and animals being sold at the market, and sternly warned the sellers not to put such birds and animals for sale in the future.
The raid which was carried this morning by the Rate Control Committee of the DMC, led by its Convener and the Dimapur Wildlife Department swept the whole market of the caged and bundled wildlife and were taken to the DMC office. Among the rescued wildlife were an eagle, the hornbills, black maina, a parrot, a turtle and even two armadillos.
The rescued birds and animals were later released in the Rangapahar Zoological Park today. The wildlife traders were also given stern warning about continuing the trade in the future.
Forest and Wildlife Department and the DMC raiding party opined that mere words were not enough to stop such kind of functioning which they have been doing so far in selling of birds and animals, so now they really have made up their minds to be strong in action to the extent of even sending the offenders to jails and whatever punishments is required is going to be implemented.
Vihuto Swu, Team Warden asserted in spite of all things implemented as per rules and warning, people don’t seem to understand but go on practicing the endangered birds and animals. However, he reiterated that this time they were taking things seriously and will do something about it.
However, the DMC opined that since they cannot do things alone, they would join hands with the Forest and Wildlife Department and strictly enforce the rules and regulations so that this practice do not go on.
Today’s raid by the DMC and the Forest Department on wildlife trader comes in the wake of several highlight by the media about the practice of selling wild birds and animals in the market in Dimapur. Today’s raid, though it comes as a welcomed action for many, still leaves many unconvinced as most of the killings and trapping of the animals and birds are carried out by the rural people in the villages, where the importance of preserving wildlife has not yet been fully propagated.
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 provides that the protection of wild animals birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. It extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Act provides violators of the rules and regulations of the Act are liable to persecuted and imposed a penalty of imprisonment for three years or fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
In spite of the swift reaction today by the DMC, a participatory approach involving villagers must be initiated so that a sustainable solution can be found. It is an accepted and recognized fact that most of those engaged in selling wildlife are villagers just trying to make a living, and therefore to discourage them, initiative must be made to educate the villagers and even employ them in the conservation of wildlife, after all it’s the villagers who know their forest best; and local participation and ownership of decision is key to sustainability.
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