The department of zoology, Margherita College, conducted a series of awareness campaigns among different target groups of this region recently on conservation of endangered flora and fauna with special reference to birds.

The target groups were students, teachers and local youths of Ketetong, Jagun, Dirok, Lekhapani, Dehing, Ledo, Borogolai, Namdang Tea Estate Colony, Margherita TE Colony and Margherita town. The team discussed various issues of bird conservation its status in environment, illegal hunting, capturing, smuggling, habitat loss, restoring the present habitat of birds and bird watching techniques among the target groups and discussed about the conservation strategies. The students were given field orientation on bird observation and its behaviour.

Sailendra Das, assistant teacher of Vivekananda Kendriya Vidyalaya, Laipuli, Tinsukia, conducted slide shows at Ketetong Janajati High School, Ketetong, on endangered birds of Tinsukia district and also discussed the ill effects of banned Diclofenac (used in veterinary purposes) related with the decline of vulture population.

Manash Protim Gogoi, a BA first year student of Margherita College, spoke on Endangered Birds of the Region. In a similar awareness programme at Margherita Tea Estate Staff Club, Margherita, Ranjan Kumar Das, senior lecturer of the department of geography, Tinsukia College, described birds of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to the tea community.

The Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, hosted a weeklong apiculture or bee-keeping training for agri-horticulture officers of the Northeast. It was organised and conducted by the all-India coordinated project on bee research and training, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat. National Bee Board, ministry of agriculture, New Delhi, sponsored the programme.

Participants in the training programme
The training was conducted in two batches from May 6 and May 15 respectively. Forty-nine specialists from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and officers of the department of agriculture-horticulture of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Manipur attended the training. S. Zamal, director of the extension education of the AAU, inaugurated the training. S.S. Baghel, vice-chancellor of AAU, who attended the valedictory function, said honey was the lifeline of human beings and bees played a pivotal role in pollinating the economic crops.

Workshop

Womens Studies Cell of Handique Girls College recently organised a workshop on Promotion of Womens Studies in Higher Education.

The principal of the college, Indira Bordoloi, welcomed the participants.Kunja Medhi, former director of Womens Studies Research Centre, Gauhati University and former head of the department of political science, GU inaugurated the workshop. In her speech, Medhi highlighted the relevance of womens studies in higher education.