GUWAHATI: In view of the rising cases of wildlife crime in Assam and raise awareness about it, two consecutive workshops were organised at Biswanath district recently.
Held at Maheswari Adarsha L P School in Bihali, the first of the two workshops saw in-depth discussions on the instrumental role that locals, especially members of the Village Defence Party (VDP), can play in reinforcing the efforts of the police and Forest Department in curbing wildlife offenses.
The workshop, which drew attendance of 42 individuals, was helmed by the Officer in-Charge (OC) of Bihali, Bhusing Bey, and Crime Ranger of Kaziranga National Park’s (KNP) 6th Addition, Jatindra Mohan Das.
The session was overseen by Madhu Das and witnessed prominent participation from personalities like Deputy Adviser of VDP, Kandarpa Hazarika, School Headmaster Hemanta Purel, social workers Rajen Hazarika and Suren Bora, apart from members from the Telengonia and Rangshali VDP.
Following this, a similar endeavour was organised at Biswanath Higher Secondary School, located at Biswanath Ghat. Chaired by Rakhi Das, the workshop was graced by approximately 50 attendees, which included VDP members.
The session revolved around forging a collaborative synergy between KNP authorities, police, and VDP members to champion the cause of safeguarding the wildlife in the national park. The workshop featured key insights from Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Biswanath, Nabajit Das, DFO KNP (6th Addition) Khargeswar Pegu, Crime Ranger Jatindra Mohan Das, OC of River Police Bhularam Bora, and VDP Deputy Adviser Kandarpa Hazarika.
Organised by Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation organisation, in partnership with the authorities of KNP, Biswanath Police, and the Village Defence Organisation (VDO), these workshops serve as a significant step towards creating a unified front against wildlife crimes.
Sanjib Kumar Bezbaruah, an official from Aaranyak, played a pivotal role in organising these two workshops and highlighted the crucial role of community involvement and cooperation among law enforcement agencies and conservation organisations.
