Over 2 400 air guns surrendered under arunachal’s wildlife conservation drive

Over 2 400 air guns surrendered under arunachal’s wildlife conservation drive

Citizens across Arunachal Pradesh have voluntarily surrendered more than 2,400 air guns under the state’s ‘Air gun Surrender Abhiyan’, a grassroots conservation movement aimed at protecting wildlife and promoting ecological awareness, officials said.

Chief minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday hailed the initiative, calling it a model for the rest of the country. Launched in March 2021 at Lumdung village in East Kameng district when 46 air guns were surrendered, the campaign has since seen widespread participation across districts.

The movement encourages individuals to relinquish air guns and licensed firearms to curb the hunting of birds and small wildlife. According to officials, the initiative has led to a noticeable resurgence in bird populations in areas where such sightings had become rare.

The programme, initiated under the ‘PEMA 3.0 – Year of Reforms & Growth’ campaign, gained significant momentum under the leadership of former Environment and Forest Minister Mama Natung and CM Khandu. District-level awareness campaigns were organised in collaboration with local communities, NGOs, and administrative departments, resulting in the surrender of 2,400 air guns and nine licensed guns, besides power chain saw machines.

The initiative has earned national and international recognition. It was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 84th episode of his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in December 2021 and also featured at a UNESCO International Conference on Biosphere Reserves as one of India’s most promising conservation efforts.

CM Khandu, in a social media post, said the campaign reflects Arunachal Pradesh’s commitment to preserving its rich biodiversity, which includes several endangered bird species.