Imphal, October 06: As in other parts of the world, the 52nd Wildlife Week was celebrated in the State today.

During the celebration, a three volume book titled Fauna of Manipur published by the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata was also released by Forest and Environment Minister Th Debendra.

The celebration attended by Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) S Singsit, Director in-charge of Zoological Survey of India Dr Ramakrishna, Wild Life Warden AK Rana and other officials of Forest Department was held at the officer chamber of Minister Debendra.

Speaking on the occasion, Th Debendra hailed the Zoological Survey of India for publishing the book.

Fauna of Manipur will be of immense value to any one including research scholars and students interested to know and study the fauna of the State, he remarked.

On the other hand, under the joint aegis of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Government of Manipur, the 52nd Wildlife Week was celebrated at the conference hall of Forest Department.

The celebration was graced by PCCF S Singsit and Additional PCCF A Kharshiing as chief guest and president respectively.

S Singsit observed that it is the responsibility of all the people of Manipur preserve and protect the flora and fauna of Manipur.

"If we do not take the responsibility to protect out wildlife and vegetation, nobody will come forward to do our job", he said.

The onus of protecting and preserving the rare Sangai and Siroy Lily which are found nowhere else in the world except in Manipur lies on the people of Manipur.

"We should be the vanguard in the campaign to save the rare species of flora and fauna found in Manipur", he noted.

He also emphasised on the necessity to create awareness at district and community level in the effort to promote wildlife.

The celebration culminated with distribution of prizes to the winners of spot essay writing and painting competition held on September 16.A pledge to protect wildlife by the Prime Minister was also read out during the function.

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