Assam Environmental NGO Forum demands Green Tribunal Bench in Guwahati

The Assam Environmental NGO Forum comprising of thirty environmental NGOs of the state working for the conservation of flora and fauna of Assam and NE region in its annual session appealed Supreme Court of India to establish a permanent bench of Green Tribunal in Guwahati city for Assam and NE states in view of the deteriorating deforestation. The annual session was held at Bhagawati Prasad Barua Bhawan of Assam Sahitya Sabha in the city on January 19. The annual session was presided over by noted environmentalist Moloy Barua. Green Reporter Mubina Akhtar also the co-ordinator of the the forum in her welcome speech thanked its member NGOs for doing conservation activities including fight for the protection of rhinos and wild elephants in the state.The forum members after detailed discussion adopted the following important resolutions for the speedy conservation betterment.

Firstly,the forum requests Hon'ble Supreme Court of India to open a permanent bench of its Green Tribunal in Guwahati for NE region. Secondly,the forum opposes allotment of forest and wetlands in Guwahati and in the state. The forum said that allotments of wetlands and hills in Guwahati must be scrapped immediately and government must evict all including social organisations which had been allotted such lands by goverments.Thirdly the forum requests Assam government to allot lands to people who had been residing in Dibru-Saikhaowa National Park since 1950 ( forest villages) as the people were willing to vaccate their villages in the greater interest of Dibru-Saikhaowa NP. Its need to mention that three forest villages inside Dibru-Saikhaowa NP had been willing to vaccate NP villages in the greater interest of the National Park. The annual session of Assam Environmental Forum also felicitated noted conservationist Jadab Payeng, who had already won laurels for conservation in international level.

Annual convention of ABSU concludes at Bhergaon

The 46th annual convention of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) concluded at Bhergaon on January 12.The four days convention was held at “ Beher Fwthar” which witnessed thousands visiting each day to see exhibition and other activities like sports,culture etc. The most important matter was to observe discipline and punctuality.Seven hundred volunteers showed good example of discipline and obedience to other organisations. Not a single police person was seen doing controlling traffic duty.

200 stalls comprising agriculture, horticulture, hand loom & textiles, ethnic food, and various local products could very well draw attention of the people.On the concluding day of the convention a grand cultural rally was inaugurated by Bidyasagar Narzary, Director, Public Information,New Delhi. The open session was held at 12 noon which was presided over by the student body's president Pramod Boro. Renowned social worker and leader of Mujdur Kishan Sakti Sangathan Nikhil Dey attended the open session as the chief guest while Taren Boro of Bodo Sahitya Sabha; D Ramakrishna Reddy, Convenor ,Joint Action Committee Telengana addressed the session as the appointed speakers. Sanjay Nahar,Director SARHD, Pune was the special guest. Presidents of various students organisations of NE namely – Tiwa,Mising. Rabha,Dimasa, Gurkha, Sarania Kachari,Barman Kachari,Hajong etc also attended the open session as the guest of honour. The annual convention adopted a few important resolutions.

Accordingly, ABSU decided to support good candidates in the ensuing LS polls in Assam; 1000 hours bandhs or do or die movement if Bodoland problems are not solved by centre in time; requested centre to introduce a Bodoland Express trains form North Lakhimpur to New Delhi and other important places of the country; special activities by its members from February this year for checking deforestation,encroachment and killing of wild animals and birds etc.

Bhergaon ready to host 46th Annual Convention of ABSU

The 46th annual convention of ABSU will be held at sleepy Bhergaon town from nearly 100 KM grom state capital Guwahati from 9 to 12 January this year. People of Bhergaon as well as people of Udalguri district now seem to be busy to welcome as many as six thousand delegates from various place of India as well as from Nepal and Bhutan. Seven hundred volunteers both boys and girls drawn form various place of the district have been busy receiving hard training since December,2013 under the command of ABSU leader Daobaisa Boro. The reception committee headed by Kulen Boro,president and Dipen Mushahary,secretary told media that an area of land measuring 400 bigha has been converted into a spectacular venue of the ABSU convention named as “ Beher Fwthar”. The 220 feet long and 175 feet wide main pandal is nearly ready which will accommodate approximately ten thousand people.The temporary dining hall has been ready with sitting capacity of 2000 people at a time.A budget of rupees seven million has been prepared for the successful completion of the four day convention.

Upen Boro Narzy, chairman of the exhibition and book fair sub-committee also told this correspondent that the exhibition would accommodate 200 stalls comprising agriculture, horticulture, hand loom & textiles, ethnic food, and various local products. The venue of the exhibition has been beautifully decorated with artificial streams and bridges. The cultural stage designed like a h0use japi has been the attraction to all where artists from various ethnic groups of NE will perform their traditional culture.On the opening day on January 9 all main gates,venues, stages, pandals dining hall, volunteer camps , exhibition, book fair etc will be inaugurated while next day ie on January 10 various sports,literary and cultural competitions will be held to be followed by the central working committee meeting. On the third day on January 11,Pramod Boro,President ABSU ceremonially will hoist the ABSU flag along with other 28 district level flags at 7-30 am followed by a Peace March, “ Jono Jagoron, Jona Setona for peace,unity and violence free Bodoland”. A five language, 300 page souvenir named - “Behersrwn” edited by Praneswar Boro and Karna Ram Boro will be inaugurated by Thaneswar Malakar,Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri at 10.30 am. On the concluding day ie on January 12. the grand cultural rally will be flagged off at 9 am by Bidyasagar Narzary, Director,Public Informations,new Delhi. The open session will be held at 12 noon which will be presided over by Pramod Boro, President ABSU. Several distinguished people of the country will also attend the open session as invited guests.

Story of hope: JFMC Bhairabkunda in India

In a development that hold hopes for long term conservation amid the gloom of large scale deforestation in Assam specially in violence infested Udalguri district, villagers of six villages on the India-Bhutan border at Bhairabkunda joined hands successfully regenerating a stretch of barren sandy forest land. The results of this quiet community initiative done under joint forest management (JFMC) are evident with the regenerated forest expanse of 5 sq KM already emerging as a shelter of wild animals and birds. The 22.24 sq KM Bhairabkunda Reserve Forest (RF)was left without a single tree by the early 1980s due to rampant illegal logging. Afforestation drive by forest Deptt. in association of people of six villages namely- Sonaigaon, Bhairabpur,Goroimari, Sapangaon, No.1 Mazargaon and No.2 Mazargaon started in April 2007 and within five years a spectacular man made forest known as JFMC forest has grown up at Sapangaon by converting plot of barren sandy lands measuring 500 hectare (5 sq KM) in to a new picturesque forest by planting khoir,gomari,simul,shisum etc near Dhansiri river,very close to Bhutan and Arunachal.

Conservation activists hoped that the place would draw the attention of tourists all over the world,if government developed infrastructure of the area. The regenerated forest land now has rich vegetation and has given shelter to wild elephants, deer, monkeys, leopard, bears etc beside various species of flora.A small river with several canals -a few of those man made runs throughout the forest ,providing replenishment for the green cover.They have already planted more than ten lakhs of saplings in the man made forest. Nature loving office bearers of JFMC,namely Esmail Daimari,Elision Daimari, Lenin Daimari, Bimal Daimari, Purna Daimari,Atul Basumatari,Prenson Daimari,Pilup Daimari, Alfred Daimari, Helena Basumatari and Someswari Daimari believe that with some support from Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) the area can be developed as an ideal eco- tourism hub. With rivers criss-crossing the verdant Assam-Bhutan-Arunachal border and the Bhairabkunda Reserve Forest providing some undulating trekking trails ,there is a definite scope for promoting tourism. Although the forest has been recognized as an ideal place for shooting of films or documentaries etc, but infrastructure bottlenecks like absence of light,toilet or accommodation etc have compelled producers or interested persons to go to other locations. Nature loving people of Udalguri including members of the JFMC hope that, BTC authority,district administration,forest department would come forward for accommodation and sanitation facilities in the greater interest of eco-tourism prospect in the district.Its great to see the villagers working in the forest day and night forgetting even their own families.Can we spare time to meet and encourage them?