Nov

IFAW-WTI Join Young Indians, School children in World Environment Day Celebrations in Assam

Assam, June 8, 2016: An event celebrating World Environment Day, jointly organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Chirang; District Administration, Chirang; International Fund for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI); and the Assam Forest Department was held on June 5 at the Kashikotra Higher Secondary School in Chirang, Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).

About 600 participants, including schoolchildren, teachers, parents, scientists from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, forest staff, military and paramilitary personnel, and officials from the district administration attended the event. Dr Kameswar Das (Programme Coordinator, KVK) began proceedings by welcoming the attendees and laying out the objectives of World Environment Day 2016. This was followed by a series of felicitations of the chief guest, guest of honour and other officials present.

IFAW-WTI sociologist Sanatan Deka made a presentation on ‘The Fight against the Illegal Trade in Wildlife’, the theme of this year’s World Environment Day, and appealed to participants to inform forest staff, local police and paramilitary forces about crimes against wildlife in the area, thereby helping them destroy the network of illegal wildlife trade. He also led the participants in an oath not to eat the meat of deer and other wild animals.

“Wildlife is an important element of the environment that maintains the balance of our planet”, said Amit Kumar, DIG, Sashastra Seema Bal on the occasion. Chief Guest Rupak Kumar Mazumdar, the Deputy Commissioner of Chirang, appreciated the efforts of KVK Charang in organising the event, Sanatan Deka for his “enlightening” presentation, and the students, teachers and principal of Kashikotra Higher Secondary School for making the event a success. “We have encroached on our forest land and destroyed wild habitats”, Mr Mazumdar said, “and wildlife is therefore bound to come into human settlements. Human-wildlife conflict is a result of human actions.”

_{Dignitaries, students and girls wearing the traditional Goalparia dress during the closing ceremony

of the World Environment Day event at Chirang, BTAD}

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In another World Environment Day event, members of the Guwahati chapter of Young Indians (Yi) visited the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), the wildlife care facility near Kaziranga National Park run by IFAW-WTI in partnership with the Assam Forest Department. In keeping with the slogan for World Environment Day 2016, “Go Wild for Life”, which encourages the celebration of species under threat from the illegal wildlife trade and the taking of action to help safeguard them for future generations, the CWRC team discussed various wildlife conservation issues with the Young Indians.