A ‘District Level Stakeholder Consultation on Integrated Management’ of the Doloni Beel was held on April 6 in the conference hall of the District Commissioner’s Office in Bongaigaon district of Assam.
The meeting was convened jointly by the Bongaigaon district administration, and Aaranyak. Bongaigaon District Commissioner Nabadeep Pathak chaired the meeting where Additional District Commissioner Apurba Nath was the Co-chair.
The purpose of the consultation meeting was to sensitize stakeholders about the salient findings of the assessment that Aaranyak has done on the Doloni Beel and share the major recommendations for the integrated wetland management plan (IWMP) that is under preparation.
A reputed research-driven biodiversity conservation organisation of the country Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), has been carrying out a holistic assessment of the Doloni Beel, a unique and socio-ecologically important wetland of western Assam, covering the physical and environmental aspects of the wetland and its catchment and socio-economic and livelihood conditions of the stakeholder communities. At the same time an integrated wetland management plan is also being prepared for the wetland which is situated in the Boitamari Community Development Block of the Bongaigaon District, about 22 kms south- west from Abhayapuri, the nearest township.
The project has been implemented for the last one year under the NERAQ (Protection and Sustainable Management of Aquatic Resources in the North-Eastern Himalayan Region of India) programme which is an alliance between the GIZ and the Assam Forest Department.
Ms. Usha Dewani Das, Communication Advisor, NERAQ, GIZ-India was also present in the meeting.
The meeting was attended by a total of 54 participants consisting mainly of government officials from relevant line departments, representatives of communities from 10 villages located around the Doloni Beel and a few local educationists from various colleges of Bongaigaon.
The government departments and agencies that were present included the Forest Department, Water Resource Department, Agriculture Department, Veterinary Department, Social Welfare Department, Handloom and Textile Department, Tourism Department, NABARD, AFDC (Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd.), ASRLM (Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission), Revenue Department, Pollution Control Board, DIPRO (District Information & Public Relations Office) and the Soil Conservation Department.
Other important stakeholders who participated were Gram Panchayat members, Mahila Morcha, academicians, researchers as well as stakeholders from the community.
The District Commissioner Nabadeep Pathak narrated about the background of the meeting and requested the officers of the different departments to help Aaranyak to carry out their work successfully by providing the required information and suggestions for the IWMP.
He said ‘if the project is successful, it will be beneficial for the public and help in upgrading the Doloni Beel’. He also mentioned that the District Administration considers Doloni Beel as an important wetland of the district and therefore he appreciated this initiative of the GIZ, Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak which will provide the necessary information and guidelines for further intervention on the wetland in future.
“It is a good thing that an organisation like Aaranyak has come forward with their work on this wetland on their own efforts without bothering us. It is not a huge thing, but it is a good small beginning.”, the DC commented concluding his opening remarks.
Dr. Partha Jyoti Das, a senior scientist of Aaranyak who is leading the Doloni Beel Project, made a presentation on the major findings of the study and the salient recommendations put forward in the draft IWMP of the Doloni Beel. He explained the importance and the purpose of managing wetlands with an integrated approach with the goal to provide protection, conservation and sustainable management, along with adequate opportunity for the stakeholder communities to improve their socioeconomic condition and livelihood security.
He stressed on the need for coordination among different departments of the government to achieve the objectives of the IWMP. While concluding his speech, Dr. Das requested the stakeholders to provide their input and suggestions during the interactive session and later as written communication so that the pertinent information can be included in the final version of the IWMP.
Dr. Ashoke Kumar Das, Coordinator, Western Assam Zone of Aaranyak, also pitched in during this presentation with a brief narration on the biodiversity wealth of the Doloni Beel.
During the interactive consultation session, a few stakeholders from NABARD, AFDC, ASRLM, Veterinary Department and a lady participant from the Manikjhora village provided their comments and suggestions on the draft IWMP.
Ala Ram Deuri, District Development Manager, NABARD mentioned that they have planted one lakh fifty thousand trees in the Doloni Beel area under the ‘Integrated Tribal Development Project’, which has covered some of the stakeholder villages of Aaranyak’s Doloni project.
Ploraj Mosahary from the ASRLM informed the audience that they were working with SHGs for economic development of women. They can work on alternative livelihoods in the Doloni area if any suggestion comes from the Government or NGOs.
He also emphasised on developing tourism to help the community financially. Dr. Shahidul Islam, District Veterinary officer, Bongaigaon, opined that they could conduct awareness and treatment camps for domestic animals and conduct vaccination drives in the Doloni beel area in future.
Anima Marak from village Manikjhora shared her observation of the Doloni Beel. She commented that the wetland has changed and it has never dried for the last 29 years. It is difficult for them to fish as the water is dirty and their skin itches after spending some time in the water.
She resented the adverse effect on human health caused by air pollution from the brickfields situated nearby the Doloni Beel.
The consultation ended with a vote of thanks given by Apurba Kr. Nath, Additional District Commissioner of Bongaigaon District.
