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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