GUWAHATI: To commemorate World Wildlife Day on Sunday, an environmental education initiative was organised for young girls in a village in Kamrup district of Assam.
Under the guidance of renowned conservationist and Green Oscar winner, Dr Purnima Devi Barman, the programme, held at Dadara Pachariya village, was aimed at sensitising teenage girls about conservation of Greater Adjutant storks and climate change.
All was on track and the activities at the programme were witnessing enthusiastic participation when a 5-month-old, Greater Adjutant stork chick fell from its nest atop a tree.
The team of supervisors at the do, including Manab Das and Dipankar Das, immediately got into the act and swiftly rescued the chick.
After careful diagnosis and affirming that its healthy, the chick was handed over to the Forest Department.
The teenagers and the team of Dr Barman, who is also a biologist at conservation organisation Aaranyak, chose to name the bird, Barasha.
“This is an emotional moment for us. We have chosen to name it Barasha, after the 14-year-old local leader of the participating girls, dedicated to nature conservation,” she shared.
Barasha, the teenager after whom the chick is named, is a student at Pachariya Kushal Konwar High School.
Dr Barman further added that hargila embodies resilience, coexistence, optimism, and gracefulness, underscoring their significance as nature’s custodians.
She also urged the government to accord special status to the hargila, advocating for its declaration as a heritage bird and a symbol of cleanliness.
The event featured activities such as bird and nest monitoring programmes, drawing participation from young, aspiring conservationists.
An initiative titled “Daughters of Hargila Army: Hargilar Jiyori” was also established during the event.
Dadara Pachariya village holds global renown as a conservation site for Greater Adjutant storks (Hargila).
