Mukul Tamuly, the Range Officer of Pobitora wildlife sanctuary who was honoured with the NDTV-Toyota Green Guard National Award-2010 in New Delhi on Tuesday attributed the successful conservation saga of Pobitora to a participatory model involving local support and cooperation.
Pobitora, a tiny sanctuary (38.81 sq km) having the country’s second highest rhino population with a count of 84, has not witnessed a single incident of poaching since 2005.
“I am very happy to have received the award but the real credit for this goes to Pobitora’s field staff, the fringe villagers, and the NGOs working in the area. This has been a teamwork and a recognition of our combined efforts,” an elated Tamuly told The AssamTribune.
According to Tamuly, the conservation model involving forest staff and fringe inhabitants was working wonderfully for Pobitora, which is virtually an island surrounded by human settlements on all sides.
“The local people have taken keen interest in Pobitora, which augurs well for its long-term conservation prospects. That it has been a successful joint endeavour comprising forest personnel and local people including NGOs should be evident from the fact that not a single incident of poaching took place in the sanctuary for over five years,” Tamuly said.
While Tamuly is too modest a man to give himself any credit, the award does recognise the fact that he has played a key role in garnering and mobilising the people’s support and cooperation in ensuring that Pobitora thrives with an enviable rhino population.
“I have been engaged with the wildlife wing of the Forest Department for 14 years and I can say with conviction that a participatory model is always to the advantage ofsecuring conservation goals,” he said.
The success story notwithstanding, Pobitora is not entirely without its share of problems – the most pressing being the grazing of cattle inside the sanctuary.
“Grazing is a serious problem and unless addressed in a holistic manner, could pose a grave threat to Pobitora’s long-term well-being. We are having interactions with the local people and a committee has been formed to sensitize the fringe villagers against grazing,” Tamuly said, adding that straying rhinos was another irritant.
The Ranger said that 18 poachers were made to surrender with support of the villagers a few years back and now the reformed poachers were lending a helping to the forestauthorities in tackling forest and wildlife crimes.
On the tourism front too, Pobitora now ranks among the State’s top wildlife destinations with more and more visitors, including many from abroad, flocking the sanctuary every year.
“Pobitora has emerged as a major destination in the past few years, which is also adding substantially to the State’s exchequer. The revenue generation which was around Rs 50,000 in 2005 has jumped to about Rs 15 lakh now. Infrastructure-wise also, the sanctuary has developed a lot,” Tamuly said.
- Inputs from : assamtribune.com
Project BUG exuberantly congratulates Mr. Mukul Tamuly, the Range Officer of Pobitora wildlife sanctuary for his wonderful contribution to the nature & enviroment of Assam and thus winning the prestigious NDTV - TOYOTA Green Guard National Award-2010.
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