Chainsaws going quiet after airguns in Arunachal

Surrender drive was launched in March for saving birds and small animals from being killed for fun or food

An idea to silence a fauna-killing firearm is beginning to quieten a flora-felling machine in Arunachal Pradesh.

Frontier State’s Environment and Forest Minister Mama Natung had on March 17 launched the “airgun surrender abhiyan” to discourage hunting of birds and animals.

Prized possession

Very few were expected to give up their “prized possession” that helped them maintain the tradition of community hunting. Forest officials were convinced they were on the right track when people began handing over the .12 SBBLs and .12 DBBLs too.

The SBBL is a single-barrel breach loading gun and the DBBL is a double-barrel breach loading.

The drive received a boost on October 2 when a few people at Gyaptong village in West Kameng district surrendered seven power chainsaws along with 151 airguns, SBBLs and DBBLs by others.

Gyaptong was officially declared the State’s first airgun-free village.

“Locking away the power chainsaws are as important as deactivating the airguns and other firearms used to hunt birds and animals. Illegal felling is done with such chainsaws that need to be discouraged for saving our green cover that has been sustaining our culture and identity,” Mr. Natung told The Hindu on Tuesday.

More than 60% of Arunachal Pradesh is covered with forests that house some 500 species of birds and animals with several yet to be recorded by science.

He said the drive had picked up initially before the second wave of COVID-19 struck Arunachal Pradesh. It was revived a few days ago and people across the State have so far deposited 1,494 hunting firearms and a few chainsaws.

A long way to go

But Mr. Natung admitted there’s a long way to go for the drive to be called successful. Almost every resourceful family across the 83,743-sq. km State owns a gun that comes for at least ₹7,000.

“I have requested the Centre to start the hunting weapon surrender campaign across the country. Our drive has rubbed off on Assam where 42 airguns were given up a few days ago,” Mr. Natung said.

Conservationists in Arunachal Pradesh said laws customised in keeping with ethnic practices have often been ineffective. But the voluntary participation in the airgun surrender ceremonies has given hope that the flora and fauna “will not disappear in the near future”.