Arunachal: Over 2400 Airguns surrendered under 'Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan' to shun hunting

Since the launch of the Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan campaign on 17th March 2021, citizens from all communities across Arunachal Pradesh have embraced the movement and are participating in it to counteract the loss of wildlife species by surrendering their guns, otherwise used for hunting.

Notably, on December 8 around 30 air guns, 1 SBBL and 1 DBBL were surrendered during BASCON 5.0 festival held at Leparada district and with this around 2400 airguns have been surrendered by the locals of Arunachal Pradesh.

CM Pema Khandu applauded the people of the Leparada district and urged them to stop illegal hunting. 

It is to be mentioned here that in about 83,743 square kilometres that make up Arunachal Pradesh, 80 per cent of the land is covered in forests, which are home to more than 500 different species of flora and fauna. 

This covers several unique, rare, exotic, and indigenous species that are only found within the deep thickets of Arunachal Pradesh. But as a result of hunting and illegal poaching, the number of animals and birds in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh has increasingly decreased recently. To compensate for the rising issue of a declining population of wildlife and to curb the extinction of species, the Department of Forest and Environment under the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has come up with a mass green movement, the “Airgun Surrender Abhiyan”. 

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The visionary Airgun Surrender Abhiyan was propelled by the dynamic leader  Mama Natung, the Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change of Arunachal Pradesh.

Since the launch of the campaign on 17th March 2021, citizens from all communities across Arunachal Pradesh have embraced the movement and are participating in it to counteract the loss of wildlife species by surrendering their guns, otherwise used for hunting.

On 18th November 2021, the Forest Department under the Government of Arunachal Pradesh received the ‘Conservation Award‘ for its outstanding endeavour, ‘Airgun Surrender Abhiyan‘. The award was handed over to Arunachal Pradesh’s Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Mama Natung by the Union Minister of State (MoS) Ashwini K Choubey (MoEFCC) in the presence of MP, Dr Rajdeep Roy and other esteemed leaders at the 6th North-East Green Summit 2021, held at IIT Silchar.

On 26 December 2021, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on the 84th episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on 26 December 2021, lauded the Arunachal Administration for an effective initiative of ‘Airgun Surrender Abhiyan’ and praised the people of Arunachal Pradesh for surrendering their air guns to protect wildlife. Minister Mama Natung asked the elders, youths and GBs to impose strict rules and regulations for the protection of the rivers, fountains, mountains and natural resources, and to take strict action against people who violate the rules.

Minister Mama Natung called upon wildlife hunters in the state to stop looking at birds and animals as a source of meat and instead join the government’s ‘Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan’ in protecting them.

“We need to change our mindset of looking at birds and animals only as a source of meat, as hunting isn’t a necessity in today’s date. We also need to understand the important role that wildlife plays in balancing the environment,”

Marking a significant boost to the ‘Airgun Surrender Abhiyan’ – a remarkable initiative of the Arunachal Pradesh’s Forest and Environment Department, a native of Lower Dibang Valley district – Puinnyo Apum voluntarily surrendered his .22 calibre airgun worth of Rs 3.5 lakhs.

According to reports, this is the most expensive gun ever surrendered voluntarily by any individual, as part of the campaign.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where hunting has been a community practice steeped in history and culture, the ‘Air gun Surrender Abhiyan’ is spinning a new hope for conservation with over 2000 weapons given up voluntarily.

The programme was launched on March 17, 2021, at Lumdung village in East Kameng district by the Minister of Environment & Forests.

It is completely voluntary and is aimed at gradually easing people into the concept of conservation.

Guns were surrendered and in return, the person got a certificate of appreciation.