As a part of an organised initiative at Kachugaon Forest Division, Gossaigaon, an organisation devoted to research and biodiversity conservation, Aaranyak has provided 4 motorcycles to 4 ranges of newly notified Raimona National Park. The senior scientist from Aaranyak, Dr. Bibhuti P Lahkar who coordinated the initiative stated in his welcome address that numerous management measures will need to be undertaken in order to upgrade the Raimona National Park.
In appreciation of the motorcycles, Mr. Bhanu Singha, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kachugaon FD thanked Aaranyak and said that infrastructure development in the park is crucial for ensuring long-term conservation. With the motorcycles, he added, that it will facilitate movement in the park and will be of great help in conducting conservation activities. In relation to the Raimona National Park, D.D. Boro, OSD, BTR, Forest & Tourism stated that a collaborative approach involving multiple stakeholders is critical to achieving a successful outcome. As a result, he believes that Aaranyak’s contribution to the development of the Manas National Park has been very significant, and he expects the same to be true for Raimona as well. The CHD (F) Sri Anurag Singh, IFS pointed out that the contribution of NGOs is very important, and that the relationship between the forest department, NGOs, and local people is crucial for the success of the park.
Besides, he mentioned that in Raimona, habitat restoration and strengthening protection measures is essential, and there is an urgent need of developing a management plan for the park. He further added that there is a need in capacity building and skill-based trainings for the frontline staff at Raimona National Park.
Three motorbikes were sponsored by Kirloskar Ebara Pumps Limited (KEPL) while the other one was supported by Aaranyak’s own resources.Aaranyak has been supporting national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Assam with the necessary equipments to complement their conservation efforts. The event was attended by Dr. Dilip Chetry, Vice President and senior scientist with Aaranyak and Dr. Dipankar Lahkar, a conservation biologist. Other colleagues of Aaranyak who were present during the handover ceremony are Pranab Goswami, Prosenjit Sheel, Gayatri Dutta, Ivy Farheen Hussain, Amit Dewry, Ajay Basumatary and Pranit Basumatary.