JORHAT, Feb 23 — As a follow-up to the just-concluded first-ever Jorhat Bird Festival, a series of long-term measures to generate awareness, ensure security and facilitate proper roosting places for the migratory winged denizens was initiated in the district recently so as to make the overall environment avian-friendly.
The idea which was conceived by the Jorhat area MP Bijoy Krishna Handique, subsequently roped in NGOs like Prakriti, Keteki and Sewa to mobilise masses living in and around migratory bird habitats at Neamati, Kokilamukh, Jhanjimukh and Majuli, besides generating awareness on the need to preserve and protect our valuable bird life and disseminate information about their positive impact in maintaining a balance in the delicate eco-system. Urging nature lovers of the said clubs to carry out an assessment as to the type and number of trees to be planted in their locales, formation of a permanent district-level committee by enlisting members of the NGOs was also mooted at a meeting held recently under the stewardship of the deputy commissioner Dr Ravi Kota under the guidance of Handique.
It was also resolved to constitute ‘bird protection committees’ by seeking active support of conscious people residing at places which are frequented by migratory birds. As these locally formed people’s panels are expected to set in motion the mandate behind the festival, efforts are also under way to set up an ecology park for tourists at Kokilamukh.
As various bird festival sub-committees submitted their statement of accounts at the meeting, a total of Rs 2.60 lakh had been collected by way of donations from Oil India Limited (Rs 2 lakh), Gas Authority of India Limited (Rs 50,0000) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limtied contributing Rs 10,000 respectively.
In the meantime, a brother-sister duo of the Nava Bikash Semonia Sora here, namely Smt Pritirekha Bora and Manash Pratim Bora, representing the JB College and CKB Commerce College, won the first prize in the senior category slogan writing contest and also secured the second position in the essay competition pertaining to a State-level initiative on various topics organised as a part of the Jorhat Bird Festival. Manash on the other hand bagged the first position in the senior category poster drawing competition, while being placed at the third slot in the slogan writing contest.