BARPETA, March 6 � The World Wide Foundation (WWF) in association with Manah Ever Welfare Society (MEWS) has undertaken an ambitious plan to preserve Manas National Park-cum-Tiger Project through development of the condition of the fringe villages.
As part of its programme of development of the economy and culture of the villagers and to aquaint the rich Assamese culture with the outside world, a training of Bihu dance was organised at Barengabari village, about two km away from the Bansbari range office of the park on an experimental basis. The training held on the Barengabari Namghar campus from January 28 to 31 last was attended by 62 youths of the vilLage. While Rupam Sarma and Mridusmita Deka from Kalateertha Guwahati imparted training on Bihu songs and dance Rinkumani Das offered training on drum.
The programme, supervised by Deba Kumar Dutta Senior Programme Officer of WWF was assisted by the members of MEWS. Dutta informed the visiting reporters that 100 per cent protection of Manas would be possible only when the villagers in the neighbouring areas come forward to shoulder the responsibility. This will be possible if they are made aware about the importance of protection. So they have adopted a plan of economical development of the villagers through performing arts. This will serve the purpose of protection of the park, improvement of the condition of the people living around it and globalisation of culture through the visiting tourists.
Providing details of the scheme, Dutta said that the tourists generally move inside the park during the day and return to the nearby lodges at night. If they are provided light amusement during the night in lieu of a lump sum amount, they would accept it. They would carry the memory with them and in return the villagers performing the art would be benefitted economically. He also informed that training on Bagrumba and Jhumur will be organised and a symposium to make the people aware about the preservation of this park will be held in a phased manner.
Trainer and folk artiste Rupam Sarma lamented that Bihu has become dependant mainly on the electronic media, but lost its originality at the hands of a few commercial artistes. He expected to start a new revolution from the villages to develop and spread the rich culture in its correct form. He alongwith another trainer Mridusmita Deka were elated over the opportunity of imparting training to the village youths.
It is learnt that such type of cultural cum economic development plan has yielded good result in respect of Corbett National Park. The fringe villages of that park have now turned into rich barns of local culture.The culture of that area has been widely acclaimed by both the national and foreign tourists. In return, the economic condition of the villagers have improved and the number of poachers and timber smugglers have decreased considerably.
The WWF expects to have the same result it derived in Corbett National Park and hoped that Manas will be restored to its previous glory with full cooperation of the people living around it.
