Itanagar, Mar 11 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday constituted a committee to study increasing human-animal conflicts in the state and recommend measures for wildlife protection.
Announcing the formation of the committee, Speaker Tesam Pongte said senior BJP MLA Wanglin Lowangdong would be the chairman, while lone Congress legislator Kumar Waii and BJP MLAs Dr Mohesh Chai, Topin Ete and Tsering Lhamu would serve as members.
The state’s principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) will act as the member secretary.
The House has given the committee three months to complete the study and submit its report.
The panel was constituted following a Private Member’s resolution moved by Waii in the Assembly on March 6 seeking urgent steps to strengthen wildlife protection and address the increasing human-animal conflicts in the state.
Participating in the discussion on the day, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Wangki Lowang said the human-animal conflicts in the state are largely the result of a shared landscape where globally significant biodiversity coexists with forest-dependent livelihoods.
He had stated that development activities often interfere with wildlife movement, forcing animals to stray into human habitations. The minister also pointed out that the practice of shifting cultivation by tribal communities affects wildlife habitats and contributes to such conflicts.
Lowang also stated that such incidents tend to increase when ecosystems are stressed or when the prey base declines, adding that the department’s protection measures help reduce conflict indirectly by stabilising wildlife behaviour and habitat use.
Waii, while moving the resolution, referred to several recent incidents of human-animal conflicts that resulted in loss of lives and urged the government to take appropriate measures to curb the menace.
He cited the killing of police head constable Chikseng Manpung in a tiger attack along the Roing-Anini road near Mayudia in Lower Dibang Valley district on February 2, while he was returning from Anini on his motorcycle.
In another incident, assistant sub-inspector Martin Lego of Sunpura police station was killed in a wild elephant attack near Patthar Ghat along the Lohit riverbank in Lohit district on February 21, while he had gone there with two friends.
Waii also referred to last year’s incident in which former MLA Kapchen Rajkumar, who represented Khonsa North constituency from 1985 to 1990, was killed in a wild elephant attack near Deomali in Tirap district on July 9 while on a morning walk.
Deputy Speaker Kardo Nyigyor, who was in the chair during the discussion, had assured the House that a committee would be constituted to examine the issue. PTI UPL UPL MNB
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