Assam: Japan government delegation visits Agia to promote rural tourism, offers financial assistance

A delegation from the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) visited the remote Garo tribal village of Bakdo in Agia, Assam, to promote rural tourism and offer financial assistance.

The remote Garo tribal village of Bokdo, located near Agia Chowk, was once connected by a fragile wooden bridge spanning the Jinjiram river. The bridge, long neglected, eventually collapsed. Despite repeated pleas for a new bridge, the villagers' requests went unheeded.

In response, the villagers constructed a temporary bamboo shed using donations, only for it to be swept away annually by hailstorms from the Meghalaya hills. In 2013, village elder Brilliant Marak and local youth Khaibrit Marak noticed that local fish consistently congregated in a specific part of the river, irrespective of weather conditions.

They proposed abandoning plans to sell fish and instead build a bridge using the funds. Their proposal was accepted, and fishing was banned in a 190-metre stretch of the river.

With the help of village head Capster Marak, Claward Sangma, Brazil Sangma, and the Bakdo Youth Union, the village is now working towards promoting rural tourism alongside the fish sanctuary. The tourism cell of Agia College and the district fisheries department are assisting in this development effort.

The youth of Bokdo are working tirelessly to attract rural tourists by beautifying the river's banks. The villagers plan to extend the fishing-free area to two kilometres for conserving fish and aquatic animals, as informed to a delegation from the Japan International Corporation Agency.

It needs mention here that a seven-member delegation of the Government of Japan arrived in Agia today to extend a helping hand to rural tourism to the undeclared fish sanctuary built in The Garo Tribal Bakdo village of Agia in Goalpara.

A delegation of The Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) arrived in Bokdo at 11 am this morning along with a section of officials and employees of the state and district fisheries development departments and was overwhelmed to see the undeclared fish sanctuary.

The delegation, while inspecting the sanctuary, held discussions with the villagers of Bakdo and the local youth union. Earlier, the seven-member delegation was greeted by the local people in the traditional attire of the Garo tribe.