GUWAHATI, June 30 - The greater adjutant stork conservation initiative led by Dr Purnima Devi Barman at Dadara has now received another helping hand from the New Zealand High Commission.
The Commission recently came forward to support the rural women�s efforts to save the endangered greater adjutant stork, called Hargila in Assam. With its support, an awareness campaign to enable women to be the guardians of Hargila conservation was launched with an event at Dadara on Thursday.
During the day-long event, 280 women who comprise the now globally-acclaimed �Hargila Army� came together. The event was organised in collaboration with the Kamrup district administration, Kamrup Police, Assam Forest Department, Dadara Sarbajanin Sri Sri Saradiya Durga Puja Samiti and villagers of Dadara.
DFO Chandan Bora of Rangiya Division and Daisy Gogoi, DSP of Rangiya attended the event and lauded the efforts of the Hargila Army and urged them to continue their conservation work. They spoke about the key role women always played in the society and in environmental conservation.
�We often read about women empowerment, but Hargila Army is a real-life example,� Arpana Sarma, Circle Officer attached to Hajo, said.
Chandradhar Das, the Gaonburha (village headman) of Dadara spoke how rural women can become self-dependent and should establish their own identity.
Senior journalist Madhusudan Medhi discussed issues related to conservation and inspired the women to protect Nature. Shankar Saikia from Dadara explained the influential position of women in Assamese society and their role in conservation.
Green Oscar winner Dr Purnima Devi Barman, wildlife biologist, Aaranyak and director of WiNN India, who leads the greater adjutant stork conservation initiative elaborated on her future plans for empowering the women and for greater adjutant stork conservation. She thanked the New Zealand High Commission, besides all the supporters and well-wishers of the programme and summoned all to move ahead with passion for conservation.
It may perhaps not be out of context to add here that Dr Barman was conferred the prestigious Whitley Awards, also known as the Green Oscars in May 2017 by Whitley Fund for Nature.
