ITANAGAR, Oct 19: The widely known campaign to conserve wildlife, initiated by the Department of Environment & Forest under the initiative of Minister Mama Natung, the ‘Arunachal Airgun Surrender Abhiyaan’ has added a word ‘Gun’ to it as to also encourage people to surrender licensed guns.
So as to encourage surrendering licensed guns, former minister of state Hari Natung along with Manaki Natung, spouse of Minister for Environment & Forest surrendered Spanish Mauser Rifle and SBBL Gun respectively at PCCF office here on Tuesday.
Addressing the gathering, Advisor to Minister for Environment & Forest, Kumsi Sidisow said that the surrender of licensed guns is a new beginning of the campaign to preserve and protect the wildlife.
He said it is continuing and untiring efforts made by the state government and the department in specific that today people are volunteering to surrender the licensed guns too.
“I will ensure that more guns are being surrendered by the public in days to come. Am also glad that the respective DFOs are doing great in taking forward the campaign for greater interest,” he said.  
PCCF RK Singh said that the department has added the word ‘Gun’ along with Airgun to encourage people to surrender their licensed gun too. He said the campaign has got national recognition and many of the states are now into the path of Arunachal Pradesh.
“It is very encouraging to know that people of a tribal state, where hunting is an ancestral tradition, are coming forward to surrender Airgun and Guns for the conservation of wildlife,” he added.
Appealing public figures to join the campaign, Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) of Wildlife & Forest and Bio-Diversity Millo Tasser said the campaign has gained mass participation and till date more than 1473 Airguns along with licensed guns and chainsaw have been surrendered.
He said the few people were skeptical about the campaign at the initial stage; however the thought has been changed by mass movement and participation of the public from various walks of life.
Meanwhile, Hari Natung while appreciating the state government in initiating the campaign also appealed to the state media in disseminating the importance of wildlife through various platforms, and creating awareness of it.
He said, unlike the concerned department, the media has to play a central role in the success of the campaign in the interest of the state.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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