Workshop on training of Civil Society Organisations held

TAMENGLONG, Jan 18
A one day workshop on training of Civil Society Organisations was jointly organised by Tamenglong Forest Divisional Office, Rainforest Club Tamenglong and Rongmei Naga Council Manipur as an activity programme of Nature Learning Centre, Forest Department under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies NMHS of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, at Peace Hall, Tamenglong Bazar, today.
Addressing the programme, environmentalist Salam Rajesh stated that the civil society organisations based in Tamenglong district need to proactively involve in the conservation of forests, wetlands and the wildlife to achieve targets in sustainable forestry, wildlife rejuvenation and livelihood gains.
He reiterated that the active involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities in the conservation of the environment will help in achieving the goals set by the United Nations under its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals.
Dailong Biodiversity Heritage site which is a partnership between Rainforest Club Tamenglong and Tamenglong Divisional Forest Office, Government of Manipur, is a good case study of community-led conservation of the vital rainforest, he said.
Divisional Forest Officer, Kh Hitler mentioned that Japan is a small country but the people utilize its resources sustainably, whereas Manipur which has rich biological reserves is not managing its resources in a well-planned manner.
As an example of ideal practice in forestry services, around 1,100 hectares of forest area is being conserved at Dailong under a joint venture of the department and the local community, he added.
Tamenglong district honorary wildlife warden, Nehemiah Panmei stated that forest area in Zeilad wildlife sanctuary is being depleted with each passing year and deforestation in this biodiversity sensitive area needs to be stopped as soon as possible. The workshop was also attended by Rainforest Club Tamenglong director Mordecai Panmei, Rongmei Naga Council Manipur president Ramkung Panmei, and representatives of civil society organisations based in the district.