GUWAHATI: In the wake of the expansion of the Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP & TR) in Assam, the responsibility of all stakeholders has increased manifold owing to mounting surveillance for the protection of wildlife in the park.
“The role of Village Defence Party (VDP) members has become instrumental in preventing wildlife crime vis-a-vis ONP & TR as they are the first responders and vigilantes in their respective areas of operation in the fringe villages. Their role should be more preventive than curative,” said the Field Director of the Tiger Reserve, Pradipta Baruah.
The Field Director was addressing members of various VDPs attending a sensitisation workshop on wildlife crime organised recently in Borbhagia Belsiri Gaon Panchayat community hall at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur District.
The workshop was organised by Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) in collaboration with the Orang Tiger Reserve Authorities, Sonitpur District Police, Village Defence Organisation (Government of Assam), and District Administration of Sonitpur with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Field Director Baruah further added, “It has been a dream of the Assam Forest Department to link the two natural bounties in the State – Orang Tiger Reserve and Kaziranga Tiger Reserve – so that wild animals can make seamless to-and-fro movements between these two protected areas. The dream was realised after the recent expansion of the Park’s area.”
He also took the opportunity to discuss various issues on the park authority-fringe villager interfaces.
The sensitisation workshop was attended by members from Photasimulu Gaon VDP, Borbhogia VDP, Isalamari VDP, Pub-Nisolamari Non-K VDP, Bosasimulu Teg Bosti VDP, Pub-Photasimulu VDP, Paschim Borbhogia VDP, and Photasimulu Block Non-K VDP.
In his welcome speech, Aaranyak official Sanjib Kumar Bezburuah explained the purpose of the event and highlighted the urgent need for such a workshop on wildlife crime at Borsola after the expansion of the Tiger Reserve through its second addition from 78.82 Sq.Km to 200.32 Sq. Km.
The workshop was presided over by Pran Krishna Das, Chairman of the Borsola Bazar Committee, and an eminent social worker of that region.
The Senior Law Consultant of Aaranyak, Ajoy Kumar Das, explained the organogram of the Village Defence Organisation (VDO) of Assam, which is headed by the Director General of Police.
He also discussed the history of how the late Harinarayan Baruah, in 1949, coined the idea by encouraging a team of village youths to look after and safeguard their own village.
“Later, the idea was embraced by many and implemented in their respective villages. The journey led to the formation of an organisation, which was named the VDO, and a team in the village was called the VDP. The process culminated in the passing of legislation called the Village Defence Organisation Act 1966,” Das said.
