Arunachal: Mebo sub-divisional administration bans airguns to protect wildlife

The Mebo sub-divisional administration in Arunachal's East Siang district has issued an executive order banning the use, sale, and possession of airguns within the Mebo Sub-Division. The decision came after a Meet and Greet programme held on February 8 with all the Head Gaon Burahs (HGBs), Gaon Burahs, and village secretaries of the region.

During the meeting, Addl. Dy. Commissioner of Mebo discussed the growing concern over airguns fitted with modern telescopes, which have been identified as responsible for the large-scale killing of birds and squirrels in the area.

In addition to the airgun ban, a collective decision was made to prohibit the use of inverters, generators, chemical poisoning, and blasting while fishing. The administration also decided to ban the use of harmful pesticides such as Round-up, aiming to protect the local ecosystem and promote sustainable practices in the region.

As discussed and resolved during the joint Meet & Greet meeting between the administration and Gaon Burahs at the Siku bridge point on the riverbank, the ban order on airguns has been issued first, informed ADC Mebo, Sibo Passing, and EAC, Nancy Yirang. The ban order on the use of illegal fishing methods, such as inverters, generators, poisoning, and blasting, along with the use of pesticides in agricultural fields, will follow, the officials announced. 

In its executive order, the sub-divisional magistrate has directed all village heads to ensure that airgun owners surrender their weapons by February 20th and submit them to the administration during the Statehood Day celebration. The prohibition order on airguns has been issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, considering the near-complete destruction of valuable wildlife in the sub-division.

During the joint meeting of the administration and village heads, all the HGBs, GBs, and village secretaries had appealed to ADC Mebo and EAC Nancy Yirang to proceed with the complete ban on airguns and destructive fishing methods using inverters, generators, poisoning, and blasting, as well as the use of pesticides.

While thanking Mebo ADC Sibo Passing and EAC Nancy Yirang for initiating the first-ever Meet & Greet joint meeting-cum-picnic, Monggu Banggo Gaon Burah President, Kalom Lego, and Mebo Banggo Gaon Burah President, Okar Megu emphasized that the ban on airguns was crucial to protect and balance the bird and squirrel populations in the Mebo Sub-Division. Both also supported the ban on illegal fishing practices.

Additionally, Ralling Village Secretary Bani Apum raised significant concerns about the widespread use of inverters, generators, and similar methods for fishing in rivers. He pointed out that these methods not only pose a serious threat to aquatic life but also carry the risk of accidental human deaths due to electrocution, as there have been past fatalities from such illegal fishing techniques.