Wildlife conservation and development, the burning topic of discussion held at Cachar College

Special Correspondent

SILCHAR: It is a subject that can raise interesting questions about the contrasting topic of conservation of wildlife and development. This was discussed and debated at a related programme at Cachar College at the joint initiative of the College and Wild Life Conservation and Research Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University.

Those who took part in the discussion included Shantanu Barua, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Cachar, Prof Parthankar Choudhury, former head, department of ecology and environmental sciences, Assam University, wild life researchers, Biswajit Singh, Amir Sohail Choudhury, Trikal Chakraborty and Bishal Sonar.

Shantanu Barua in his speech focussed on the two contrasting issues like 'conservation and development.' Taking up development in forested areas and simultaneously conservation of wild life and biodiversity is no doubt a challenging task. Development without scientific planning can impact the conservation. He laid stress on bringing more and more areas under plantation to increase greenery. This is a great move which becomes more successful with the participation of students and youths.

The occasion was created by the college and quite appropriately, Prof. Parthankar Choudhury explaining the history and significance of it said, "Of late the Government of Assam has taken various positive steps in Barak Valley for conservation of wild life and forests. The recently formed wild life division has started functioning in that direction. This is expected to work with the definite objective of preserving and protecting the endangered species, besides the flora and fauna in general."

Construction of a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre at Rajnikhal in Dholai constituency of Cachar is underway. Poaching of wild life has been greatly reduced in the state as a whole. Prof Parthankar Choudhury also spoke of the various conversation moves of his department. Interestingly, Dholai and its forests comes under the constituency of Parimal Suklabaidya, Minister of Forest, Excise and Fishery. Researcher Biswajit Singh shed light on the survival stress faced by the most endangered spectacled monkey in the valley. Besides, he spoke of the techniques to distinguish between venomous and non venomous snakes. Amir Sohail Choudhury spoke on the conservation of various species of monkeys and monitor lizards due to rapid loss of greenery and their habitats which have gone under encroachment of human beings. Tikal Chakraborty and Bisal Sonar shared their experiences of snake rescue and rehabilitation through video shots.

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