HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Jan 24: A workshop aimed at sensitising at least 40 personnel from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on tackling the growing menace of ‘wildlife crimes and illegal wildlife trade’ was organised on Wednesday at the Daranga Border Outpost (BOP) of the 64th Battalion of the border guarding force, located close to the India-Bhutan border.
Upon invitation from the SSB, a senior official from the biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, Binita Baruwati, delivered an enlightening talk during the workshop on wildlife crime. She cited recent case studies, providing one year’s worth of data from the greater Manas National Park area and discussed the role of border guarding agencies in the Manas landscape.
Baruwati presented details of recent case studies related to hunting and wildlife trafficking, including incidents of elephant poaching and ivory seizure, tiger poaching and seizure of tiger body parts, as well as rhino poaching and the apprehension of poachers and traders.
During her presentation, the Aaranyak official emphasised the importance of detection for preventing wildlife crime in the first place. Mizing Baro, a staff member from Aaranyak, assisted Binita Baruwati during the workshop.
Jawaharlal Baro, assistant director from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), also delivered a talk in the workshop. His discussion focused on the identification of wildlife species and wildlife products, along with the role of border agencies in detecting and deterring wildlife trafficking. Kangkan Kaushik Goswami from WCCB also participated in the workshop.
SSB personnel from various Border Outposts under the 64th Battalion SSB of the Manas Landscape actively participated in the workshop.
