Over 2,000 airguns surrendered in Arunachal since March to conserve wildlife: Forest minister

Itanagar, Dec 17: More than 2,000 airguns have been surrendered by people in Arunachal Pradesh since a special drive was launched in March this year to conserve wildlife, Environment and Forest Minister Mama Natung has said.

Attending a programme of the surrender of 285 airguns in Upper Siang district headquarters Yingkiong on Wednesday, Natung, the brain behind the 'Airgun Surrender Abhiyan', called on people to shoot with cameras instead of airguns.

"Kandhe pe bandook lagaake shoot karna choriye aur galein mein camera latkaake shoot kijiye (stop shooting with airguns and start shooting with cameras)," he said.

The initiative began at Lumdung village in East Kameng district on March 17, when 46 airguns were surrendered.

"We need to change our mindset of looking at birds and animals only as meat," he said, while appealing to people to work towards making Arunachal Pradesh an airgun-free state.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang stressed the need to preserve fauna diversity for future generations, adding that conservation will also give an impetus to tourism.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu has recently urged community-based organisations to play an active role to make the campaign a people's movement. He said that the campaign would not be successful until people do not give up eating wild meat.