[Prem Chetry]
BOMDILA, 16 Sep: Along with the rest of the nation, students and teachers joined the Big Butterfly Month awareness programme and workshop on Himalayan butterflies organised by the Bomdila forest division in collaboration with Nature Mate (NM) and Kameng Natural Heritage (KNH) at Buddha Peace Park here in West Kameng district on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, deputy commissioner Dilip Kumar said, "Our district is blessed with rich biodiversity, and we must care for it." He asked the students to enjoy and experience the awareness session conducted by experts and take the message back home to share with their friends and families.
He stressed the role of butterflies in the ecosystem and urged the students to take care of these delicate yet important creatures as precious gifts of nature. "Be an ambassador of the environment, an ambassador of nature and contribute towards a balanced coexistence," he said.
"Schools should come forward to organise awareness activities to address environmental issues in collaboration with the forest department and experts," he added. He said natural disasters are also linked to human habits and stressed the need to change our approach towards nature and follow a sustainable way of living in harmony with it.
He congratulated the department and partner organisations for the successful conduct of the event and assured possible assistance in the future for organising such events.
Earlier, Bomdila DFO Dhanisha Baniwal highlighted the importance of the day and urged students to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of nature. She elucidated the significance of butterflies in nature and said that the district holds a special place in terms of biodiversity.
"I believe that our young minds will surely contribute towards securing the future-a future with a safe environment and a safe nature," she added.
Winning students were also awarded certificates and trophies for the painting and drawing competition on the theme 'Butterflies of West Kameng - Beauty, Diversity & Conservation,' which was conducted earlier.
Among the resource persons, Sarika Baidya, researcher and programme manager (butterfly conservation) from NM, and Dipendra Nath Basu, Early Career Fellow at the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, presented documentaries on 'Hidden Life of Butterfly,' 'The Butterfly Wishers' and 'Ants as Bodyguard.'
Meanwhile, Shaleena Phinya, a member of the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, presented a documentary titled 'Sharing Space with Butterflies.'
During the event, KNH presented a documentary titled 'Butterflies of Bomdila.' Its co-founder, Tsering Doma, urged students to enjoy and appreciate the fascinating jewels of wings and help conserve their habitats.
