.gif)
PCS ParikshanWest Bengal Switch to Hindi
Sikari Utsav
Why in News?
South-west Bengal faces ongoing wildlife protection challenges, including the ritualistic hunting celebrated during the regional festival Sikari Utsav.
Key Points
- About Sikari Utsav:
- The event takes place during the dry season, specifically from March to May, across the districts of Jhargram, Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, and Birbhum.
- During this period, thousands of villagers participate, joined by people from neighbouring districts and states, including Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar.
- The primary activity involves entering the forests to hunt small wildlife species, such as wild boars and wild hares.
- Issues:
- It harms wildlife populations in the short term and has long-term ecological consequences.
- Since the festival coincides with the peak season for forest fires, it exacerbates environmental damage.
- The vast, open forests in this region, located near human settlements, are easily accessible and thus vulnerable to exploitation, especially during festivals.
- The Forest Department has limited manpower, which hampers its ability to enforce conservation laws effectively, resulting in the continued allowance of destructive activities.
- Way Forward:
- Community-Based Forest Management: Building on the success of West Bengal’s Joint Forest Management (JFM) committees, it is essential to broaden this participatory model across more regions.
- Intensify Awareness and Education Campaigns: Shifting the narrative from exploitation to coexistence through dialogue and education will cultivate a shared commitment to protecting ecosystems for future generations.
- Enhance Law Enforcement and Infrastructure for Forest Protection: Strengthening legal frameworks, enforcing existing forest protection laws rigorously, and investing in infrastructure are necessary to curb destructive human activities such as encroachment and overexploitation.
- Foster Multi-Stakeholder Cooperation for Long-Term Sustainability: Collaborative action plans and continuous dialogue must prioritize ecological balance, ensuring that environmental protection remains a collective and sustained priority for the future.
