Beat Contest in Falcon Fest 2020
Haflong, November 24, 2020: The 6th Edition of Falcon Festival 2020 was organized on 21st and 22nd November at Golf Course near Tumbung village in Umrangso of Dima Hasao district in Assam. But was not like the earlier events since the COVID-19 protocol was observed as per order.
The Chief Executive Member of N.C.Hills Autonomous Council Debolal Gorlosa inaugurated the 6th Edition of Falcon Festival 2020 on 21st November at Golf Course near Tumbung village in Umrangso of Dima Hasao district in Assam. It was concluded on November 22.
Speaking on the occasion, the CEM said that the festival aims to create awareness among the people of Dima Hasao and also of the other places about the “Amur Falcon” a kind of migratory birds that comes to the district once in year during the winter season. Highlighting this phenomenon of bird visiting to our district and keeping in mind the COVID-19 scare, this year the celebration committee have kept the celebrations low key by following all the COVID-19 safety protocol and guidelines.
Gorlosa thanked the people of Umrongso that they stopped killing the Falcons by responding to the request of the Council and concerned departments. He also requested all the gathering to keep the area clean even during the festival.
The two days festival was organized in a bid to boost tourism in Dima Hasao district by the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council in collaboration with Dima Hasao Tourist department, Dima Hasao Forest department, District Information & public relation department, Falcon Festival Organizing Committee, Blue Hills society(NGO) and Haplou (NGO) on 21st and 22nd of November.
The two day festival aims at creating awareness about Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), the longest travelling migratory birds that roost in large flocks during the last week of October and in November every year.
On the occasion, traditional dances were performed by community cultural troupes and competition for school students was also organized.
However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, participants were restricted to two thousand only, though they might be more or less than the limit.
The most applauded event in the evening programme was beat contest among the local bands like ‘Outlast’, ‘NOVO’, Vibrant 4 and Abstract. In the beat contest “Beat of the Bands”, the musical band ‘Outlast’ were awarded ‘Winner’ while ‘NOVO’ were awarded with ‘First Runner’.
, beauty pageant and cultural programs displaying the tribes living in Dima Hasao district will only be participates by locals.
During the festival, ethnic stalls were opened displaying tribal attire and ornaments
It may be stated that hundreds of birds lovers from various part of the state have started thronging Tumbung village and tourists are also seen camping at the golf course since the Amur falcons began arriving.
Earlier, due to lack of awareness, these migratory birds were killed for sport, fun and meat.
The killings stopped after awareness campaigns were launched by the forest department, NGOs and social activists on providing safe passage to the migratory birds.
The forest department has deployed its staff in the roosting area for round-the-clock vigil to provide safety to the birds.
Restriction have been imposed on the use of plastic material such as glass, plates etc.inside the area but encourage to use bio-degradable material.
Amur falcon, a small raptor of the falcon family, breeds in south-eastern Siberia and northern China and migrates in large flocks in winter across India and over the Arabian Sea to South Africa. These migratory birds from Siberia and China stop at Umrongso during their annual journey to South Africa.
The males are dark grey with reddish brown thighs and under-tail coverts, reddish orange eye-ring and feet. Females are duller above, with dark scaly markings on white underparts, an orange eye ring and legs. Only a pale wash of rufous is visible on their thighs and undertail coverts.Their diet mainly comrpises insects, such as termites. During their migratory period over the sea, they are believe to feed on migrating dragonflies.
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