Gauhati University students start digital movement against NBWL

A CORRESPONDENT

PATHSALA: Moi Prokriti, an eco-club of Gauhati University, has started an online campaign to protest against the decision of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to permit CIL to carry out mining activities in the Saleki region of Dehing Pataki Wildlife Sanctuary which is also known as the 'Amazon of the East'.

This decision has not gone down well with a large section of people as it is seen as a big threat to the environment. The members of the eco-club are trying to raise awareness about the issue and have started a social media movement.

The NBWL has permitted Coal India Limited to carry out extraction in 98.59 hectares of the rain forest's land. The Saleki area, where the mining has been permitted, is an elephant reserve area. The homes of many endangered and rare species are facing great threat because of this move.

"Illegal mining which has been carried out in the Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary for many years has created a very bad impact on the flora and fauna of the rain forest. The decision of the NBWL to allow coal mining will completely destroy the sanctuary," said Lakhyajit Das, vice-president of the Post-Graduate Students' Union (PGSU) of Gauhati University and a member of the eco-club.

"This decision will be a nail in the coffin for the destruction of the rainforest. Please post #Save Dehing Patkai in your social media accounts and join our campaign. Together we can save Dehing Patkai," said another member of the eco-club said in a statement.

The campaign has been running from May 13 and it is slowly getting more attention and more people are participating in it. The campaigners are using #SaveDehingPatkai in social media. 

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