Imphal: Residents of Ishok village near Loktak Lake in Manipur’s Bishnupur district have imposed a blanket ban on the hunting of the endangered hog deer with violators facing fines of up to Rs 5 lakh and legal action by the Forest Department.
The decision was taken at a stakeholders’ meeting attended by village residents, civil society organisations and officials of the Bishnupur Forest Division at Chingphu Ningthou Shembi Leima Haraobung.
The meeting also resolved to prohibit poaching of other protected wildlife and adopted a series of measures aimed at safeguarding the hog deer population and its habitat.
Under the resolutions, anyone found hunting or killing a hog deer or other protected wildlife will be fined up to Rs 5 lakh and handed over to the Forest Department for legal action.
Residents and dog owners have also been directed to prevent pets from straying into wildlife habitats, including Mutum Yangbi and Ngakratubi. If a dog attacks a hog deer, its owner will be liable to pay a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, according to the resolutions.
The village further resolved to bar outsiders involved in illegal wildlife activities from entering the area and constituted the Ishok Apunba Wildlife Protection Committee to conduct regular patrols and monitor wildlife habitats.
The hog deer (Axis porcinus/Hyelaphus porcinus), locally known as Kharsa, is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The species is primarily found in the floating wetland ecosystem of Keibul Lamjao National Park on Loktak Lake and faces threats from habitat fragmentation and poaching.
The meeting was attended by Divisional Forest Officer Waikhom Romabai, village chief Warepam Deben and representatives of the Indian Red Cross Society’s Bishnupur branch.