Pledge to promote forest conservation held in Sendenyu

Students, frontline staff from the Forest Department and forest fringe communities after the awareness campaign held in Sendenyu village, Kohima on February 13.

Kohima, February 15 (MExN): An awareness campaign for ‘conservation of forest and wildlife, to mitigate human animal conflict and wildlife crime, biodiversity/nature conservation& constitution of community reserve and biodiversity management committee’ was held in Sendenyu village, Kohima on February 13.

It was jointly organised by the Nagaland Forest Department, Nagaland State Biodiversity Board and the Wildlife Conservation Society-India.

Around 120 people participated in the programme which consisted of students, frontline staff from the Forest Department, forest fringe communities from villages - Sendenyu, New Sendenyu, Thongsunyu and Lotsuphen.

Rajkumar M, IFS, DFO, Kohima appreciated the conservation efforts of Sendenyu village for the past two decades and assured help from the Kohima Forest Division for their conservation and ecotourism efforts.

Satya Prakash Tripathi, PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden and HoFF, Nagaland (Retired) and Chairman, Biodiversity Board, in his key note address highlighted the legal position of Community Reserve and Biodiversity Management Committee.

A press release from Rajkumar M, IFS said that interaction and feedback between the participants and forest officials were also exchanged. This was followed by a pledge to promote conservation and preservation of forest and wildlife in the State.

Pradipty Bhardwaj, Legal Trainer at Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) spoke about wildlife crimes under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and punishment regarding the same.

Another spokesperson from WCS, Samriddha Ghosh addressed the topic of Nagaland as one of the biodiversity hotspots.  G Thong, Chairman Sendenyu Biodiversity committee gave a brief of the history of Sendenyu Community Conservation Reserve.

The villagers raised issue of compensation against damage of agriculture/horticulture crops by wild animals and killing of animals when they enter neighboring village jurisdictions.

They were informed to apply for compensation to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland through the field officers.

The programme began with invocation prayer by Yhunyelo Kent, Pastor while Dr Sevono Seletsu, ACF chaired the programme. Vote of thanks was proposed by Henilo, Sendenyu Village Council Chairman.