In a significant push for green development, Naharkatia MLA Taranga Gogoi held a high-level meeting with senior officials from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC) on Friday. The discussions at the Joypur Inspection Bungalow focused on advancing eco-tourism and strengthening forest conservation in the region.
The collaborative session brought together key stakeholders, including Anurag Singh, Project Director of APFBC; Emeline Jannaud Lefort, India Country Officer for AFD, Laura Buis, Task Team Leader for AFD, and Nidhi Batra, Portfolio Manager at AFD. The Assam delegation was further represented by Sunny Choudhary, Activity Director of APFBC, and Nandha Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer of Dibrugarh.
The central agenda was the development of the Joypur Forest Park in Naharkatia, a flagship initiative under the French Project designed to be a model of sustainable tourism.
MLA Taranga Gogoi highlighted the project’s transformative potential, stating, “Joypur Forest Park will not only attract visitors but also serve as an educational hub for environmental awareness while supporting local communities.” He emphasised its role as a milestone for the constituency.
Echoing the sentiment of international cooperation, Emeline Jannaud Lefort affirmed, “Our collaboration with the state government through APFBC demonstrates France’s dedication to preserving India’s rich biodiversity while creating economic opportunities for local populations.”
The meeting also served as a platform to strategise on enhancing ongoing environmental initiatives and exploring new avenues for collaboration. The broader APFBC project, a cornerstone of the Assam-AFD partnership, encompasses critical activities like reforestation, anti-poaching measures, and creating alternative livelihoods for forest-dependent communities, ensuring that conservation efforts go hand-in-hand with sustainable development.
