In a glaring case of gross violation of Wildlife Protection Act, at least three wild boars and one bull deer were gunned down and used in preparing community feasts on the occasion of New Year at North East Diltlang village in Champhai district of Mizoram along the Myanmar border. This startling revelation was made by officials from the State Environment, Forests and Climate Change department.
The officials also added the deputy conservator of forests of Champhai forest division and his team recently visited the village and launched an investigation into allegations that the animals were killed and eaten by the villagers during feasting on New Year.
The officials further claimed they have photographic evidence of the whole incident.
Meanwhile, a huge quantity of wildlife meat and carcasses, and trophies made of wildlife were seized at the forest check gate of Banderdewa, one of the entry points of Arunachal Pradesh from Assam by officials of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department on Tuesday.
The seized items included meat of the Himalayan civet, dried squirrels, parts of an eagle, and trophies made of other wildlife. These items were seized from vehicles coming from Kimin and Pasighat.
Later, the seized items were destroyed in the presence of the Banderdewa circle officer and the ASI of the Banderdewa police station.
Earlier on January 3, officials of the Banderdewa Forest Division had seized huge quantities of Himalayan civets, deer, wild doves, green barbets, wild fowls and wild squirrels at the Midpu forest check gate.
The meat haul had been seized from vehicles coming from Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Upper and Lower Subansiri, and East Kameng districts, and from Sagalee in Papum Pare district.
Meanwhile, the United Sangdupota Intellectual Youth Forum (USIYF) on Tuesday said a group of people who had indulged in illegal hunting and fishing on the banks of the Papum river in Sangdupota circle of Arunachal Pradesh have been fined, and that an apology has also been extracted from them, along with assurance that they would not indulge in such activities in the future.
The USIYF had filed an FIR at the Balijan police station on January 5 against a group of people from outside the locality for violating the laws of the panchayat and youth association in Sangdupota circle by allegedly indulging in illegal hunting and fishing.
According to a release, the violators were ‘imposed with a penalty as per the byelaws, and issued a written apology, with assurance that such an act would not be repeated in the near future.’
Meanwhile, the USIYF and the ABYA on behalf of the public of Sangdupota circle appealed to all outsiders visiting the area to seek permission from the authorities concerned before carrying out activities like picnic and fishing.