Guwahati: At a media interaction held in Teok, Jorhat district, on Sunday, conservation experts from Aaranyak underscored the pivotal role of mass media in supporting human-elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation efforts aimed at fostering coexistence between communities and elephants.
Organised by Aaranyak in collaboration with the British Asian Trust and supported by the Darwin Initiative, the event brought together journalists from Teok Press Club and Kakojan (East Jorhat) Press Club, along with community leaders from HEC-affected villages.
Addressing the gathering, Bijay Sankar Bora, Publicity Secretary and Executive Committee Member of Aaranyak, emphasized the media’s influence in spreading awareness among affected communities. He urged journalists to consistently disseminate the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ of HEC response to minimize human and wildlife casualties. “Elephants are agents of biodiversity enrichment and forest regeneration,” he noted, underlining the need for coexistence strategies.
Rubul Tanti, Senior Project Officer at Aaranyak, shared insights into the current HEC scenario in the region and detailed the organization’s research-based, multi-stakeholder mitigation initiatives. He highlighted the importance of community and media cooperation in ensuring the success of these measures.
Zakir Islam Bora, Aaranyak’s Assistant Manager and Coordinator for the Eastern Assam Zone, opened the session with an overview of the organization’s 35-year journey and conservation footprint across the region.
Niranjan Bhuyan, Community Coordinator, echoed the sentiment, stating that “credible media is a catalyst in rallying community and stakeholder support for coexistence-focused HEC mitigation.”
The event began with a welcome address by Aaranyak’s Environmental Educator, Rimpee Moran, who outlined the objective of the interaction. Senior journalists present at the event praised Aaranyak’s longstanding conservation work and pledged support for its current HEC mitigation initiatives in Jorhat.
Field staff including Ananta Dutta, Lakhinath Taid, and Chiranjib Kalita coordinated the event, which was also attended by members of Aaranyak’s Rapid Response Units (RRUs).
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