Pasighat CSMT Visits Manas, Raimona National Parks
Aaranyak organised a three-day exposure visit for members of the Pasighat Community Surveillance and Monitoring Team to Manas and Raimona National Parks to promote cross-learning and wildlife crime prevention.
PASIGHAT- The Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) of Aaranyak organised a three-day exposure visit for members of the Community Surveillance and Monitoring Team (CSMT) from Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, to Manas National Park and Raimona National Park in Assam from January 17 to 19, 2026.
The exposure trip was aimed at facilitating cross-learning, strengthening community-based mechanisms for wildlife crime prevention, and promoting the exchange of best practices in conservation and community engagement across landscapes.
At Manas National Park, an interactive session was held at the Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society (MMES) office at Lawkhi Bazar. MMES President Mahendra Basumatary briefed the visiting team on the evolution of the organisation, its ecotourism initiatives, and its role in supporting conservation efforts in Manas National Park.
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Maksam Tayeng, Chairman of the Pasighat CSMT, shared insights into the formation, functioning and achievements of the team in safeguarding the D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh. The session was facilitated by Dr. Jimmy Borah, Deputy Director, Legal and Advocacy Division, Aaranyak.
The exposure visit also included interactions with Aaranyak’s Community and Livelihood Division, where discussions focused on livelihood-based interventions in fringe villages of Manas National Park. The session, led by Detchung Basumatary, highlighted the importance of community participation, alternative livelihood options and conservation-linked economic opportunities.
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At Raimona National Park, an interactive meeting was organised at the Forest Inspection Bungalow, Central Range, involving forest officials, local villagers and community representatives. A separate stakeholders’ meeting brought together representatives from around 15 Eco-Development Committees, village heads and local NGOs, with participation from approximately 40 stakeholders.
Discussions at Raimona centred on initiating Community Surveillance and Monitoring Teams in the landscape to strengthen community-led efforts to prevent wildlife crime. Maksam Tayeng, also Honorary Wildlife Warden and Chairperson of CSMT/EDC, shared experiences from Pasighat and cited on-ground success stories demonstrating the effectiveness of the CSMT model.
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Aaranyak official Ivy Farheen Hussain presented the conceptual framework of CSMTs, explaining their structure, roles and operational mechanisms. The meeting was later attended by Nippon Kumar Baisnab, Assistant Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Guwahati office, who encouraged community members to share credible information with enforcement agencies to curb wildlife crime and illegal activities.
The programme also included safaris in Manas and Raimona National Parks, allowing participants to experience the landscapes firsthand and gain deeper insights into habitat protection and conservation challenges.
As part of the exposure visit, members of the Pasighat CSMT visited the Mazrabari cluster to observe community-led livelihood initiatives. The team interacted with women’s self-help groups engaged in weaving activities using locally available materials, highlighting how sustainable livelihoods supported by government schemes can reduce dependence on forest resources and strengthen community stewardship for conservation.
Officials said the exposure visit strengthened collaboration between communities across regions and reinforced the role of local participation in wildlife conservation and protection efforts.
