Mission Tango E:pong launched in Arunachal's Motum village to conserve unique catfish species, promote eco-cleanliness

Along with rest of the villages under Mebo Sub-Division here in East Siang District in which several eco-clean activities with various mission tagline were launched under the Eco-Clean Mebo Mission, yet another mission named Tango E:pong Mission was launched at Motum village on Monday with an aim to conserve and promote the species of Catfishes like Amblyceps Motumensis and Chaca chaca locally called  ‘Beyek’ and ‘Sita Dukhe’ while also taking up eco-cleanliness activities for the village.

The Tango E:pong Mission was launched jointly by people of Motum village and Tango E:pong mission committee with its mission partner Ato Pasing Erang (APE), Mebo Administration etc which was attended by Mebo MLA, Oken Tayeng as ECMM Patron, ADC Mebo, Sibo Passing, ECMM Chairman, P. Lamba, Supt of Police, East Siang as Chief Guest and Dr. Kento Kadu, Ichthyologist, HoD Zoology, JNC Pasighat as Guest of Honour and Smt. Olen Megu Damin SNA Awardee. Mission Manager ECMM.

Motum village is known as a home of many unique catfishes, one of which is Amblyceps motumensis, locally called 'Beyek' and is vulnerable & endangered as per the experts. ‘Some key facts about the Amblyceps motumensis, an endemic catfish has derived its name from the village name ‘Motum’ ‘distribution-found in the Brahmaputra River basin in India’, ‘habitat- inhabits freshwater environments, including rivers and streams’, ‘appearance-has a elongated body shape and a distinctive head shape’, ‘size-reaches a length of up to 6-7 cm (2.4-2.8 in)’ and ‘diet-feeds on small invertebrates and plankton. As per experts, Amblyceps motumensis is a relatively small and lesser-known species of catfish, but it's still an interesting and unique part of the aquatic ecosystem.

Speaking on the sideline of the Tango E:pong mission launching, Mebo ADC-cum-ECMM Chairman, Sibo Passing said that the Motum village has a unique distinction of being the home of catfishes family called ‘Amblyceps motumensis’  (locally called  Beyek) due to which the Ichthyologist after finding out the unique catfish has scientifically named Amblyceps Motumensis derived from Motum village. According to him Motum will flourish in the field of tourism, research and education if the ichthyofauna of Tango E:pong area is conserved. The mission objective of Motum village is a unique one and people of Motum need to preserve the marshy lakes and small streams, and springs need to be protected and cared properly”, added Sibo Passing, ADC.

Mebo MLA, Oken Tayeng as a mission patron of ECMM lauded the entire team of E:pong mission committee, Motum villagers and Ato Passing Erang (a clan based organization of Pasing clan in Adi tribe) for putting up their mission effort to protect and promote the unique catfishes. “With this mission, proper and strong effort should be made so that these unique catfishes become a centre of attraction for tourists”, added Tayeng.

While SP Pasighat, P. Lamba and Dr. Kento Kadu, ichthyologist also batted for proper protection and preservation of the species so that one day this unique type of catfishes benefits the local community economically. Dr. Kadu also presented details of the catfishes of East Siang and its conservation through PowerPoint presentations. APE President Jobang Passing also spoke on the day and showed up their commitment as a mission partner of the E;pong mission by donating an amount of Rs one lakh for the mission.

Earlier in the morning at Darne village, the Burmese grape village (under Relek Mission), a traditional hut constructed by Tinling Borang Kebang was handed over to the Binsing Moying Darne (BMD) amidst the presence of ADC Mebo, Sibo Passing. The traditional hut will be used as a temporary tourist rest camp for those visitors/tourists who happen to visit Darne village to see its cleanliness activities and planting of Burmese grapes sapling all around the village, informed Maklung Apum, Chairman, BMD.

While earlier on 26th December last, a similar eco-clean mission was launched at Sigar village (a close neighboring village of Motum village) with a mission tag of ‘Gangge mission’ under which several saplings of Jujube (Bogori plant) will be planted while maintaining the already available plants besides maintaining cleanliness of the village under Eco-Clean Mebo Mission. The Gangge mission was launched at the community hall of the village in the presence of villagers, Gangge mission committee, Gangge mission partner ‘Lego Welfare Society’, ADC Mebo, Sibo Passing, Smt. Olen Megu Damin, Mission Manager ECMM, Mebo MLA, Oken Tayeng and other members of ECMM.