On the occasion of World Tiger Day, celebrated on July 29, the Forest Department and Tourism Department of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) recognized the contributions of community volunteers, frontline forest staff, and wildlife conservationists. The event was held at Kachugaon Central Range under Kachugaon Forest Division in Raimona National Park of Assam. Two conservationists from biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, Rabiya Daimari, Senior Project Officer, and Dibakar Nayak, Field Assistant (ERCD), were conferred the Commendation Award for their efforts in mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
They were among 40 awardees, including frontline forest personnel and members of local communities, who were recognized for their dedicated and sustained contributions to wildlife conservation. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including James Basumatary, Executive Member, Forest and Wildlife, BTC; William Narzary MCLA of Jomduar Constituency; Dr. Sonali Ghosh Addl. PCCF cum CHD, Forest, BTC; and Jayanta Sarmah, Director-cum-CHD, BTC Tourism Department.
Representatives from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Eco Task Force, Tourism Department, and several organizations functioning from the Bodoland Territorial Region were also present. The recognition acknowledges the awardees’ unrelenting efforts in supporting community-based human-wildlife conflict mitigation through stakeholder engagement, awareness programmes, and the implementation of practical conservation interventions. This award is a testament to the importance of grassroots conservation efforts in protecting wildlife and their habitats.
