Concerted effort for conservation of rainforests urged

Concerted efforts are the need of the hour to conserve the rich contiguous rainforest patch of Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary and its adjoining Upper Assam's Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.
"The presence of this valuable stretch of tropical rainforest puts a responsibility on us to protect it and chalk out a sustainable model for the judicious utilisation of its immense resources," noted wildlife conservationist Soumyadeep Dutta of 'Nature's Beckon' said during the launch of a pictorial book 'Rainforests of Assam' here today.
The rainforests cover more than 500 sq km of tropical forest land spread across Joypur, Upper Dihing and Dirak Reserve forests and only 111.19 sq km of this area includes the Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary.

Dutta pointed out that Nature's Beckon has successfully created and carried forward the drive for future protection and conservation of the rainforests of Assam and it was this mass movement that led to the creation of Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary in 2004.
He also stressed the socio-economic development of the fringe communities, as their all-round growth and progress play a very decisive role in the real conservation of rainforests for posterity.
"We have worked for the growth and progress of the fringe communities and have alreadey initiated eco-tourism in the fringe ethnic villages close to the sanctuary called Tai-Phake eco-turism camp," he added.