Bringing Back Manas: Support to grassroot NGOs, Forest Department
Manas (Bodoland, Assam): Even as the five hand-raised elephant calves from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) were moved to Manas National Park for rehabilitation, the International Fund for Animal Welfare – Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) extended support for conservation to various stake holders as part of their larger commitment to ‘bring back Manas’ to its former glory.
The support was provided under the Greater Manas Conservation Fund (GMCF) that was set up to facilitate wildlife conservation in Greater Manas through an integrated approach involving all stakeholders including local NGOs and communities.
“The GMCF is a joint initiative of the Assam Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council and IFAW-WTI that provides support to local NGOs, frontline staff and local communities to address various conservation hurdles including human-wildlife conflicts, promote eco-development, and ensure better protection to wildlife in Greater Manas,” said Radhika Bhagat, Officer-in-Charge, GMCF.
As a measure to mitigate human-elephant conflict, an electric-fencing project involving community participation in Kokilabari was launched during the day-long event organised on January 31, 2011. The project entails installation and operation of a 4.5 km long stretch of electric fence along the Manas NP boundary, and will be implemented by the NGO Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society (MMES).
The event also saw the handover of 440 daypacks to the Forest Department for use by the frontline staff during patrolling. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Forest Department and IFAW-WTI to install an electric fence of approximately two km length to mitigate human-animal conflicts along the southern boundary of Manas.
Likewise, a tractor was given to the Kahitama Manas Conservation and Eco-tourism Society (KMCES) – a conservation group comprising 61 former poachers who surrendered their weapons and committed to wildlife conservation in February 2008. The KMCES members had chosen agriculture as their preferred alternative livelihood option.
Five NGOs who were earlier provided support under the GMCF were felicitated for their contribution in the conservation of the natural heritage of Manas. The NGOs included Bodoland Forest Protection Force, Manas Souchi Khongor Eco-tourism Society, Manas Bhuyanpara Conservation Society, Manas Agrang Society and MMES.
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