Guwahati, September 25: Research-based biodiversity conservation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) on the occasion of completion of its 34th year of relentless efforts in pursuit of its mission of ‘nourishing nature to secure our future’ organised an animated interaction with a group of media persons pooled from across the state to highlight the highpoints of its journey so far and to seek informed opinions from the media persons for  its onward journey.

The interaction organised at the Prashanti Tourist Lodge in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctury in Morigaon district of Assam, was attended by about 30 media persons. Setting the ball rolling for the interaction, Aaranyak’s senior scientist and an executive committee member Dr Partha Jyoti Das elaborated on how important the sustained support and cooperation from the media as a whole has been for the NGO in carrying out effectively its various researched-based and community-oriented conservation efforts over the years involving multiple stakeholders. The media interaction was supported by  the Grassroots, Resilience, Ownership and Wellness (GROW) Fund.

Dr Das highlighted how media persons/houses in Assam compared to their counterparts in rest of the country, have been proactive in focusing environment/ conservation related issues, information and news. He hoped for similar rather more effective Aaranyak-media interface in days to come.

Aaranyak’s Organisation Secretary, an executive committee member and a scientist Udayan Borthakur taking part in the interaction, underlined the scope for the media to focus on thematic areas of Aaranyak’s conservation endeavours as well as research-based topic so that the people as a whole will understand the organisation better.

A conservation biologist of Aaranyak, and an executive committee member, Dr Alolika Sinha made a substantial digital presentation of various activities, achievements and highpoints of Aaranyak’s journey that started way back on September 9, 1989. Her presentation encompassed activities of all the divisions and programmes of Aaranyak besides underscoring the accolades received by the organisations from various government and non-government quarters so far.
During the media interaction that was anchored by Manas Kumar  Bhattacharjya, a manager in Aaranyak, media persons put forward various suggestions on how Aaranyak can more effectively communicate with masses and other intended stakeholders  through the mass media. 

Aaranyak’s publicity secretary and an executive committee member, Bijay Sankar Bora commented that media persons should feel free to remain in constant touch with public relations wing of Aaranyak to gather whatever information they require about the organisations activities.

Media persons also suggested Aaranyak to give journalists working close to its various project sites exposure to its high-value conservation works to make them understand how it stands out  among other nature conservation organisation.

Aaranyak’s executives Pranab Goswami played  crucial role in organising the media interaction successfully with support from the administration team led by Dipak Bhattacharyya and Bobby Nath. At least 20 Aaranyak researches, officials and staff members were present during the interaction to answer to questions posed by media persons during the interaction.