Arunachal: Mising Autonomous Council convened meeting for Poba Festival
PASIGHAT- ( By Maksam Tayeng ) – Attending in the public meeting for 2nd Edition of Poba Festival convened by the Mising Autonomous Council at Tini-mile Ghat, Poba, Jonai in Assam on Thursday, local MLA from Jonai, Bhubon Pegu said that the triangular rich biodiversity of D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh in the north, Dibru Saikhowa National Park in the east and the proposed Poba Wildlife Sanctuary in the west, if given proper protection and preserved well, will serve as a hot wildlife tourism destination for the nature lovers across the nation in near future.
Legislator from Jonai, Assam, Bhubon Pegu said this while offering his suggestions and ideas for the 2nd edition of Poba festival to be held in the month of February 2025 as a part of his commitment and support for the protection and preservation of wildlife in the proposed wildlife sanctuary of Poba which was earlier known as a Poba reserve forests.
Giving his consent and support for the 2nd edition of Poba Festival, Pegu advised and suggested the organizing committee of the festival to be careful while conducting the festival, as such festivals conducted within the proposed sanctuary entry points at Poba Range office camp may affect the wildlife and nature.
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Bhubon Pegu, MLA, Naresh Kumang, Executive Magistrate, Mising Autonomous Council, Tarkeswar Miri, Coordinator, Nature’s Beckon-NE and other representatives from NGOs like Save Poba Rainforest led by its President, Royal Pegu, TMPK and others like Mising Ane Baane Kebang deliberately spoke in details for the conservation and protection of the proposed Poba Wildlife Sanctuary while conducting the 2nd edition of Poba Festival.
Eco-Development Committee-cum-Community Surveillance & Monitoring Team of D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh also attended in the meeting on the invitation of MAC, as joint effort of conservation is required from all stakeholders to protect the rich flora & fauna, as proposed Poba Wildlife Sanctuary and D. Ering WLS is closely interlinked and located in the same landscape.
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Seeking the support of conservation teams/NGOs from Poba Rainforest/Wildlife sanctuary for the protection of wildlife in the landscape, EDC/CSMT Chairman, Maksam Tayeng led team from D. Ering WLS urged the Assam counterparts and Jonai MLA, Bhubon Pegu to help the management of D. Ering WLS in removing the illegal cattle grazing that comes from Miriyakal areas of Assam toward Jeepghat Beat of Anchalghat and Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range covering around 10 KM deep inside the sanctuary.
EDC/CSMT office bearers also informed the Assam team and their leaders about the large scale impact on wildlife by the cattle grazing issues from Assam and also some parts from within the Arunachal villages due to which large stretches of the sanctuary are fully degraded in many locations and partially in other pockets.
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The team from D. Ering WLS also raised the encroachment issues and blocking of major wildlife corridors between D. Ering WLS and Dibru Saikhowa National Park at Sibiya Chapori area of Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range under D. Ering WLS by the people of Siboguri.
In this connection the EDC/CSMT also informed the Assam counterparts that, Arunachal’s Pasighat West MLA, Ninong Ering, son of Late Daying Ering (known as architect of modern Arunachal) on whose name the sanctuary is named after, has sought the interference of Ministry of E, F & CC, Govt. of India after which the Ministry’s Wildlife Division has also directed the Chief Wildlife Wardens of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to do the necessary evictions of the illegal settlements and cattle rearing in the major wildlife corridor at Siboguri/Sibiya Chapori areas of the sanctuary located near Paglam and Mer village of Arunachal Pradesh.
Later while responding to the query of media on the protection of wildlife while removing the illegal encroachments and cattle grazing in both Poba and D. Ering WLS, Jonai MLA, Bhubon Pegu said that, the illegal cattle grazing and encroachment in Poba’s Kobo Chapori has already been evicted out and removed a year ago.
“Regarding the Siboguri encroachment and wildlife corridor blocking issue, nearly 50 households have been shifted and relocated, compensation in this connection have already been disbursed. Besides conservation concern, the Siboguri area is not suitable for human settlement, if some of the persons have returned to Siboguri, they must have gone there to collect their belongings, but they will vacate the area before next monsoon flood”, added Pegu while suggesting for joint conservation effort from both parties of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to preserve and protect the rich flora & fauna of Poba, D. Ering and Dibru Saikhowa landscape.
The Poba Wildlife Sanctuary is a proposed wildlife sanctuary in Assam that will include the Poba Reserve Forest, Kobo Chapri Proposed Reserve Forest and the surrounding river and its island areas. The sanctuary is expected to span 257.29 square kilometers.
The proposed Poba WLS is a biodiversity hotspot and a crucial migratory route for wildlife, especially elephants. It’s home to a variety of species, including the endangered slow loris, capped langur, wild boar, and many species of birds and reptiles which is also known for its rich orchid population.
The proposed Poba Wildlife Sanctuary is a testament to the Assam government’s commitment initiated and proposed by Jonai MLA, Bhubon Pegu in the state Assembly on 30th August 2024 to preserve the state’s biodiversity and natural resources.
