Agartala: Dec 04: With an aim to develop awareness amongst the local community on nature’s precious creation butterflies, the West forest district of Tripura organised a Butterfly Festival at the Heritage Park in Agartala on Sunday.
Tripura’s Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury inaugurated the festival in presence of Antara Sarkar Deb, Sabhadipati West Tripura Zilla Parishad, KS Sethi, Principal Secretary of Forest and other officials as large number of students from various schools participated in the festival.
On the occasion several colourful butterflies which were breaded in captivity were released with the aim to conserve these special winged creatures as a large number of them are now threatened, mostly due to declining habitats, toxic chemicals like fertilisers, and extreme weather conditions.A colourful programme consisting of dance and songs by young children with the theme of butterfly was performed as butterfly masks were distributed among the crowd and the area was decorated with the same theme. Butterflies play a very important role in the food chain and pollination.
Speaking on the occasion the ICA Minister viewed that the life of butterfly is very short but very important and each has something different to teach with the mankind regarding that even very short life can be of great value and help to others.He also viewed that other then saving biodiversity and creating awareness in the importance of conservation of species such program can also help in the development and growth of the tourism sector of Tripura which has huge scope with its lush green forests rich with flora and fauna.
Meantime, District Forest Officer of West Tripura District Jayakrishna VK said that for the second time Butterfly Festival is being held with the attempt to help more and more people get interested in butterflies, understand their web of life and appreciate nature from new eyes and the participants particularly the younger generation learn about butterflies and its symbiotic relationship in nature as it plays a vital role in the ecosystem.Tripura have some 250 varieties of butterflies and the areas where different varieties of them are found are – Baruamura, Trishna and Jampuihill.
