Calls renewed for safe passage, roosting of Amur Falcons
Source: Chronicle News Service
Noney, November 14 2022:
The 7th Amur Falcon Festival-2022 organised by Tamenglong Forest Division in collaboration with Rainforest Club, Tamenglong, Wildlife Trust of India, Corbett Foundation and Tamenglong Times was held at Tamenglong town multipurpose hall on Monday.
Forest, Environment & Climate Change minister Th Biswajit Singh, Water Resources, Relief & Disaster Management minister Awangbow Newmai and principal chief conservator Forests Dr AK Joshi attended the event as chief guest, guest of honour and functional president respectively.
In his address, Th Biswajit thanked the people of Tamenglong for protecting the migratory birds and appreciated Dailong villagers for preserving the forest land without the assistance from the government.
At the same time, the minister commended Chiuluan Village for declaring the Amur Falcon roosting site as community reserve forest.
Biswajit said that under the able leadership of chief minister N Biren Singh, Manipur is experiencing peace and communal harmony, adding that without peace development cannot happen in the state.
Delivering the guest of honour's speech Awangbow Newmai said that Amur falcons used to be sold in open market but these migratory birds are no longer traded in the market, which he attributed to the people's awareness on protection of these migratory birds.
"The Amur Falcons do not eat or destroy crops.
They come here and roost for a while and fly back, they cover almost the entire world.
The Amur Falcons are a silent ambassador of peace because they connect the entire planet without harming other creatures.
We as custodians let us continue to protect and preserve these migratory birds", he appealed.
The event was attended by many district level officers, CSOs leaders, Church leaders, NGOs leaders, village authority leaders, officers of state police and central forces.
As part of the programme, a bike rally was organised by the Tamenglong Forest Division with the riders from Zeliro Ventures and Rongmei Riders.
The rally was flagged off by the chief guest and other dignitaries at the start of the main festival programme.
There were presentation of cultural dances and songs from the local artistes.
The programme also saw the release of a research paper on the study of Amur falcons through satellite transmitter tagging by Wildlife Institute of India which was presented by Amarjeet Kaur, research scholar.
The chief guest and dignitaries of the function lauded the conservation initiative of Amur falcons by the department officials with the support of local NGO, village authority and communities.
Prizes for Amur falcon photography and videography contest were also handed out while village volunteers protecting Amur falcons were honoured with citations.