Stricter firearm licencing guidelines stressed
Source: Chronicle News Service

Kakching, October 05 2021: An event relating to 66th Wildlife Week Celebration, 2021 was held at Tangjeng Khunjao community hall in Kakching district on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering, Range Forest Officer (Kakching) Naorem Munal Meitei said that the first week of October month every year is celebrated as Wildlife Week but hunters continue to kill wildlife using guns particularly in hill areas of the state and hence government need to pay more attention and investigate thoroughly while issuing gun license if it really wants to preserve wildlife.

The event was organised by Divisional Forest Officer Thoubal, Range Forest Officer Kakching in coordination with Bio Diversity Management Committee of Tangjeng Khunjao, Tangjeng Khunjao Meira Paibee, OKHO Trust (Okesh-war.

Honeshwar Trust) of Langmeidong and Legal Aid Clinic Hiyanglam.

The event was attended by Kakching Zilla Parishad-Waikhong ZP member Chongtham Indrajit, Naorern Munal, Range Forest Officer Thoubal S Shamungou, Lifetime Achievement International awardee Ngouba Thouna, Legal Aid Clinic Hiyanglam coordinator W Amusana Devi, Bio Diversity Management Committee, Tangjeng Khunjao chairman Khaidem Pakchao, Tangjeng Khunjao Meira Paibee president Khaidem Kushumati Devi as presidium members.

Giving the key note address of the event, Naorem Munal said that large numbers of Ruddy Shelduck locally known as Nganu Thagong used to flock to lakes of Manipur during winter season until recently but its number is declining in recent years.

During bird census conducted in 2014, around 40,000 Nganu Thagong migrated to Loktak lake but the number has gone down to around 20,000 in 2015 and further to around 5,000 only in 2016 .

Bird census could not be conducted during the past few months due to COVID-19 pandemic but the numbers of migrated Nganu Thagong at Loktak lake could be reduced if the bird census is conducted, he opined and appealed to people particularly those settling in the periphery of Loktak lake not to kill wildlife including Nganu Thagong migrating from Siberia.

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