ITANAGAR, 8 Sep: The Darak Tourism & Social Welfare Foundation (DTSWF), in association with the Bogo Ao Welfare Society (BAWS), recently held a village-level public consultative meeting at Bogo village in Darak circle of West Siang district to discuss a community-led fish conservation initiative and establishment of the proposed Bogo Community Fish Park-cum-Sanctuary in the Siik river at Darak Ele.
The proposed stretch is Darak Ele (river pool)-Palen (confluence) in the south and Omgi (Yijo hanging bridge) in the north as buffer zones.
DTSWF managing director Jummo Potom highlighted the significance of the community conservation area (CCA) concept and urged the Bogo community to actively participate in the community fish conservation initiative and become torchbearers of community-led conservation in Darak area and set example of a progressive society in Arunachal Pradesh.
He suggested constituting a community fish conservation monitoring committee to coordinate with the NGO and to guide the community in materialising the proposed fish park-cum-sanctuary.
The NGO said that once declared, the area will be a 'No Disturbance Zone' and all fishing activities for consumption will be prohibited there.
"Importantly, ownership of the river sites will remain with the Bogo community only," he said.
To create awareness, Potom assured that the NGO will take 10 members from the Bogo community to Garo Hills, Meghalaya, on an exposure visit to study successful fish sanctuaries under community conservation recognised by the government, such as Wari Fish Sanctuary, Jadisil Fish Sanctuary etc.
He also informed that delegates of the DTSWF visited the Nengmanadalgre fish sanctuary in Williamnagar in East Garo Hills in 2025 to understand the ground realities.
The DTSWF adopted the concept of community conservation area when the NGO's managing director was invited to a three-day conservation event organised by renowned NGO Green Hub in Assam's Tezpur in May this year.
Bogo Ao Welfare Society (BAWS) general secretary Kenmar Bogo said that another consultative meeting will be held among the Bogo community members shortly to ensure transparency and accountability while working under CCA concept in collaboration with the DTSWF.
Meanwhile, BAWS president Sandu Bogo informed that the proposed location 'Darak Ele' has been renamed as 'Bogo Ele' henceforth to signify the heritage legacy of the Bogo community. He urged the DTSWF to include 'Bogo Ele' in the Darak tourism mapping being carried out through the Directorate of State Remote Sensing Application Centre, Itanagar.
The proposed Bogo Community Fish Park-cum-Sanctuary is home to different fish species, especially golden mahseer and chocolate mahseer.
The meeting was attended by GBs, women representatives, SHGs' members, GPMs, retired government officials, members of the BAWS, and other stakeholders. (DIPRO)
