Tribals to observe hunting festival without hurting animals

Keeping in view the depleting number of animals, the eco development committees of several villages and forest officials today arrived at a consensus to observe the annual hunting festival without harming the animals in Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary.
A meeting in this regard was organised by the Forest department here, where senior department officials, including Regional Forest Conservator Rajeev Ranjan, Conservator of Forest Satyajit Singh and Divisional Forest Officer of Dalma Wildlife Santuary Kamlesh Pandey and members of the Eco Development Committees of several villages took part, officials said.
The annual hunting festival of the tribal community "Bishu Parob" (popularly known as Sendra parob) will be observed on April 26 and 27.

Forest department officials said it has been decided that the festival will be observed as per the tradition and custom of the tribal community but without hunting the animals keeping in view their depleting numbers.
The village eco development committees as well as the two rival sendra committees also agreed to observe the festival without harming the wildlife, they said.
Sources said Forest department will make adequate arrangement to ensure that no animal of the wildlife sanctuary was harmed and for the first time, registration of the tribals entering the wildlife sanctuary area to observe the festival will be done and aware them about the importance of preserving the wildlife.

The officials have also handed over a cheque of Rs 5000 each to eco development committees, who had helped the forest department/district administration in destroying liquor dens in and around the sanctuary and Rs 2000 to self-help groups.
Meanwhile, the awareness campaign launched by the forest department for last few years seemed to have paid dividend as the hunting of animals recorded a downward trend even though hundreds of tribals from across the Kolhan region as well as adjoining states Bengal and Odisha laced with traditional weapons like bow and arrow enter in the wildlife sanctuary every year to observe the festival.

As per the schedule of the hunting festival, the tribals will climb the Dalma hill on the night of April 26 and return after taking part in the festival the next day.