Skip to content Skip to navigation

‘Breakfast with Birds’ at Deepor Beel WLS

By editor |


Imagine a group of bubbling school children are having breakfast amid chirping of bird of different hues and sizes. Sounds so nice and fable-like, Isn't it? Can you dare to think that it was just what had happened just at the outskirt of bustling but noisy and polluted Guwahati? Yes it was a reality just a few days back and where else but Deepor Beel and thank Aaranyak if you like the idea.


It’s a tragedy that Guwahatians hardly realize that we a living in a unique city located amid reserved forests, wildlife protection areas, rich water-bodies and hills having a treasure trove of wildlife.


But Aaranyak, a leading scientific and industrial research organization headquartered in the city, has set out on an avowed initiative to make the budding denizens of Guwahati to realize the value of their city that is nothing less than a unique gift from the Mother Nature and the need to protect as well as cherish it.


“Break fast with Birds”, is one of the novel initiatives undertaken by Aaranyak for school kids and teachers and as part of the initiative a group school children from the city along wither their teachers were taken to Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary on April 29 ,2010 to let them frolic amid the nature and early morning birds.


Altogether 51 participants including 33 students from Maharishi Vidya Mandir Sixmile were enjoying the breakfast of their life amid a nature’s paradise dotted with birds in Deepor Beel. They were also given an opportunity to interact with Dr Devojit Das from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and learn about birding from the experience.


The whole programme was facilitated by Bibhuti P Lahkar, Naba Krishna Nath, Namita Bramha, Purnima Devi Barman, Sanjay Das from Aaranyak. Apart from the birding Bibhuti P Lahkar, programme secretary of Aaranyak told the school children about wetlands and their immense value for survival of animal kingdom on the earth. Wildlife journalist made a very interesting and lively speech on “birding as a hobby”.


Aaranyak’s environmental educator, Jayanta Kumar Pathak coordinated the porgramme and spoke about the Deepor Beel WLS, role of students in conservation arena.


The school kids received practical training on bird watching, how to identify birds, fine points about birding etc.


Most of the students participants were there in Deepor Beel for the first time that day students while majority of other participants including teachers and seniors were not aware of the path or location of Deepor Beel. And this speaks of the immense need for organizing such a programme to bring our citizens closer to the Nature.



Jayanta K Pathak

Project Officer, Aaranyak




Comments

Chayanika Bhattacharyya's picture

Submitted by Chayanika Bhatt... on Thu, 29/07/2010 - 05:03
we need to conserve and preserve the Deepor Beel whuich is the need of the hour keeping in mind the longterm safety of Guwahati and Asom. I really am glad to read such an article by AARANYAK. Would like to be a part in wildlife conservation.So please mail the updates regarding nature camps and activities related to the conservation of wildlife.

Pages

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

MSc in Physics at DBU

11 Aug 2014 - 2:17pm | CM Paul
On 7th anniversary of the start of B.Tech program at Don Bosco College of Engineering and Technology at Azara which launched the Assam Don Bosco University, the Basic Sciences Department of ADBU...

Pro talk ULFA leader injured in attack

25 Mar 2009 - 2:07am | editor
In yet another pre poll incidents of violence, pro talk ULFA cadre Rabin Gogoi was injured with his body guard at Sadiya in Tinsukia district on Tuesday evening. According to information, Gogoi, who...

One crushed to death near Jorhat

11 Feb 2012 - 2:57pm | editor
One person died at a tragic road mishap in the outskirt of Jorhat town on Friday. The accident took place at 9 in the evening at Ladpoigarh on the National Highway where a speeding tractor rammed...

Remembering Dr. Phani Sharma

23 Aug 2012 - 9:17pm | editor
August is a month that I miss Deta the most. Although he passed away in the month of July, I always find myself thinking about him more frequently at this time of the year. However, that’s not...

Other Contents by Author

Mild tremor strikes state

Yet another mild tremor jolted Assam on Sunday in the time of flood. The mild tremor of 4.3 struck at 9.55 in the morning creating panic among the people. Panic-stricken people in many flood relief camps started crying in fear. In Guwahati also, a section of the people housing in the high buildings came out to the streets as soon as they came to feel the earthquke.

Japanese Encephalitis strikes sans fogging

Assam is in deep grip of the killer Japanese Encephalitis where the toll has gone up to 20. That too in Sivasagar district alone. Over 100 people from the district have been under going treatment in the various hospital. According to reports, cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome are on the rise. The number has shot up to 332 till Saturday. The death toll has touched 50. The worst-hit districts are Kamrup, Sivasagar, Dhubri, Morigaon, Darrang and Nalbari. Doctors blame it all on the halt in fogging due to the floods and rain. They said that during monsoons, people are more prone to diseases. Government efforts are on to keep the situation under control. Although vaccination is said to...

Rumi, Jaki out of danger: Doc

Congress MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband Jaki Jakir were given medical assistance in Guwahati a day after the duo were mercilessly thrashed by a huge mob in Karimganj. A team of doctors from the Guwahati Medical College Hospital reached their official quarter in Dispur after they were escorted to the capital city on Sunday. The couple is reported to be out of danger. This is the first instance in the state when a lady MLA was beaten up in public. A strong contingent of police and CRPF forces is guarding Nath and her husband at their MLA quarter in the Dispur. Talking to reporters on Saturday evening Nath alleged that the culprits who had outraged the modesty of a woman should be...

PM, Sonia to visit Assam on Monday

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to visit the state on Monday to take a stock of the situation.According to information, the duo would make an aerial survey across the state during their hurricane visit to the state. Meanwhile, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority on Saturday visited flood affected areas and took stoke of the situation.

Flood situation improves slightly

The overall flood condition improves on Saturday following halt in the incessant rains that lashed Assam last week.The situation in Dhemaji, Jorhat,Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia has slightly improved but the major rivers still flowing above the danger level.But the water level in Goalpara and Dhubri districts remained unchanged. Rescue and relief operations are being carried out in the flood affected areas.The government has intensified the relief works across the state. Over 3 lakh 12 thousand people have been sheltered at around 550 camps. This is apart from 200 medical teams along with Mobile Medical Unit.

Hunger strike to end Langpih row

Hundreds of Khasi people from Meghalaya staged indefinite hunger strike in Langpih bordering Assam on Saturday. They said that with the strike they want to mount pressure on the government to settle to the long-pending border dispute.The hunger strike was led by a 28-year-old youth from West Khasi Hills district, Pynshkemlang Nongshlong, and actively participated by villagers, including women and children.Meanwhile, the People's Movement, which is spearheading the fight to solve the long pending border dispute with neighbouring Assam, also staged a one-day demonstration here expressing solidarity with the fast unto death agitation by the people at the border.The delegation of the People's...

Rumi calls it political attempt

Rumi Nath and her second husband Jeki Jakir said that the mob attack was a political conspiracy. Addressing a press conference in Dispur on Saturday evening, the couple said that they did not come to see even a single person who hail from Karimganj when they were attacked inside the hotel.

Prohibitory order in Karimganj roads

Karimganj district administration on Saturday slammed prohibitory orders under Section 144 a day after Congress MLA from Barak Valley Rumi Nath was beaten up by a hundred-strong mob at a hotel on Friday night. Security forces have been deployed in the vital public places to disperse the mob on the streets for and against the MLA. Hundreds of her supporters blocked the vital roads in the entire district in several places in protest against the incident. The protesters further damaged at least 20 vehicles at the height of the protest. Rumi and her 28-year-old husband Zakir Hussain were hospitalised after the incident. Her personal life has been under the scanner since she left her first...

Sangma hopes victory in presidential poll

Former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma on Saturday pinned hopes on support from the north east political leaders to help him reach the Raisina Hill. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati three days after filing nomination for the presidential post, Sangma said the he want to show the country wants a tribal leader in its helm. He further appealed to the political parties to favour him without any doubt or fear. He is confidence that he would win the presidential elections. He said that he has contested parliamentary elections nine times and legislative assembly elections twice and that he has no record of any defeat. Notably, he receives support from AGP, UDP, Hill State Peoples'...

Uneasy situation in Dudhnoi

The two month long kidnap drama in Goalpara district came to a tragic end when police recovered the bodies of two teachers on Sunday more than a month after they were kidnapped along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The bodies of the teachers namely Kamaleswar Rabha and Sarit Rabha on Saturday. They were kidnapped last month from Golpur area of the district. The teachers were kidnapped by local miscreants who shot them dead after their ransom demand was not met.