- NET Web Desk
Marking a significant boost to the ‘Airgun Surrender Abhiyan’ – a remarkable initiative of the Arunachal Pradesh’s Forest and Environment Department, a native of Lower Dibang Valley district – Puinnyo Apum on Thursday voluntarily surrendered his .22 caliber airgun worth of Rs 3.5 lakhs.
According to reports, this is the most expensive gun ever surrendered voluntarily by any individual, as part of the campaign.
Apum stated that he did not anticipate receiving any remuneration from the department in exchange for the airgun because it was a voluntary decision made “for a worthy cause”.
“The Airgun Surrender Abhiyan is a fantastic project that we should all support in any way we can,” he mentioned, and urged everyone to come forward and surrender their airguns.
Meanwhile, the airgun was purchased from Assam for shooting purposes, as Apum is a member of the Arunachal Pradesh Shooting Association (APSA).
“I used the gun for target shooting practice on occasion, but never for hunting, and realize that the airgun I’ve surrendered is expensive, but protecting wildlife is more essential,” he stated.
Apum advised that the department reward or at least provide incentives in some form to individuals who are not financially stable but have continued to surrender their airguns.
“However, the forest and environment department’s plan to construct a hall to store the guns and engrave the names of those who surrendered them is a good decision,” he said.
Attended #AirgunSurrenderAbhiyan programme at Adi Gidii Notko, #Roing, #LDV Dist along with HMLA @Mutchu4 Ji, HMLA @GumTayeng Ji, PCCF, DCF (WL & BD), ZPC & DA wherein 76 airguns were surrendered. #SaveWildlife #SaveNature @ArunachalCMO @moefcc @byadavbjp @AshwiniKChoubey pic.twitter.com/6hiiHcnWUK
— Mama Natung (@NatungMama) May 26, 2022
Its worthy to note that the voluntary campaign aims to terminate the indiscriminate killing of wildlife across the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh. If reports are to be believed, since the launch of this campaign on March this year, over 2000 air guns have been surrendered by residents across the northeastern state.
The commendable effort has also been recognized by the Central Government. In 2021, the concerned initiative has been conferred with a ‘Roll of Honour’ certificate.
The award was presented by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey to Arunachal Pradesh’s Environment & Forest Minister Mama Natung during the valedictory session of the 6th Northeast Green Summit at Silchar, Assam on November 18, 2021. This felicitation helped the state government to provide a new hope for wildlife conservation.
Considered as a community practice by various tribes residing along the hilly tract, hunting – basically which transformed into a blend of tradition & technology have proliferated during the recent times, thereby posing a grave threat to wildlife species.
Keeping in view of this risk of extinction, the Arunachal Pradesh Government through the concerned initiative aims to play a crucial role in the wildlife ecosystem, thereby preserving the rare and endangered fauna.
