Singchung (West Kameng )
By Chow Bilaseng Namchoom
Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, a non-governmental organisation bags a National Biodiversity Award. The NGO is the partners with Forest Department since 2016 in protecting and conserving the 17sq km area Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve abutting Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in West Kameng District bags the first prize for its unique endeavour in conserving the rare wildlife resources found in the area.
The award sponsored by the National Bio-diversity Authority, an independent bio-diversity organisation, honoured the society by awarding a citation, a memento and a cash prize of Rs one lakh at Hyderabad today. Indi Glow and Sange Norbu Phiang, the leaders of the organisation received the award on behalf of the organisation.
Eaglenest Wild life Sanctuary is about 217 sq km big with a rich bio-diversity which is second only to Andes in South America and is also known for the existence of Bugun Liocichla, a bird species presently found only here.
Rich in both flora and fauna with 545 species of birds and various species of plants and animals, the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary spreads from Ramaligam Camp along Chaku Tenga Road to the plaints with varying altitudes from five hundred mts from SL to more than three thousand usand mts.
Notified in October 1989 after bifurcating Doimara Reserve Forest, Eagleness Wildlife Sanctuary got further prominence with the discovery of Bugun Lipcichla, a rare bird not found anywhere else in the world, by Dr Ramana Athreya, the sanctuary currently attracts the attention of nature lovers from all around the world.
Considering the importance of involving the local community in the conservation process, the Forest Department under the initiative of DFO of Rupa Forest Division, Millo Tassar, the Bugun community was persuaded to partner in a unique conservation model under which their community forest covering 17sq km area and abutting Eagleness Wildlife Sanctuary is being managed jointly by both the Forest Department and the people.
Started in 2016, the project today is a hugely successful model following which the community organizes eco-tourism camps for visitors and researchers that numbers in thousands annually and gainfully employs the local community members. Most of all, the entire sanctuary is efficiently protected under the joint management committee.
When asked about the award, the DFO said, “I believe this prestigious award to the society would encourage them to work harder for conserving the environment.”
He further said till today this award has not been given to any society in the state and so this is a great achievement both for the Bugun community as well as the state.
