Pakke Tiger Reserve provide Covid-19 Insurance to Green Soldiers

Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Arunachal Pradesh has become the first in the eight-State northeast to provide insurance cover against Covid-19 for “green soldiers”. Eight-State northeast includes Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

57 frontline staff (referred to as green soldiers) of the Park have been insured for nine months against health issues due to the infection by the Covid-19. The forest guards are rightly the green soldiers in the frontline of India’s wildlife, and the onus of wildlife conservation pretty much falls on them.

About the Insurance:

• The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO, paid the insurance amount with support from Foundation Serge.
• The NGO has been supporting India’s frontline forest staff with accident cover for the last 20 years.
• The insurance coverage is of Rs. 1 lakh each but a few who would be retiring soon has been insured for Rs. 50,000.

About Pakke Tiger Reserve

Pakke Tiger Reserve (declared in 1999-2000) lies in the foothills of the eastern Himalaya in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh and is also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve. It falls within the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot. It is home to over 2000 species of plants, 300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, etc. Many species of the flora and fauna are globally threatened, and PTR is one of the last remaining strongholds left for these species. It is known for its amazing sightings of four resident hornbill species.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• The great hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and it is ‘vulnerable’ under the IUCN Red List.
• Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh: Pema Khandu; Governor: B.D. Mishra.

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