Complete ban on Monal plumes in caps, broaches in Himachal
SHIMLA: Banned plumes of the endangered Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) on Himachali caps has caught the attention of the state government, which has consequently imposed a complete ban on Himachali caps fitted with monal’s crest.
The chief minister’s office has issued a communication to all deputy commissioners in the state to ensure that directions are strictly followed in their districts. As per directions anyone found wearing a cap with the crest may be sought to explain from where it was obtained.
The directions were issued after a Himachal resident Amrik Singh wrote to the CM seeking a ban on the caps as it also promotes the poaching of the bird.
A special request has been made to Himachal folk singers to avoid donning the cap during performances. Wearing a cap with a monal crest is a tradition in upper reaches of Himachal.
Such caps are also gifted on auspicious occasions, especially weddings. The person wearing such as cap may face strict action if he fails to provide proof of it being passed on to him from ancestors. additional principal conservator of forest (wildlife) Savita Sharma said, “We are discouraging old registrations and have directed all conservative officers and DFOS to ask people for a source of registration if they have any crest. All DFOS have been directed to check database of of their areas to collect information as to the number of crests registered till now. The rapid response team has been directed to increase vigilance especially during winter as the threatened specie migrates to lower hills during snowfall.
To prevent hunting and poaching, we also deploy extra manforce in winter in areas where possibility of illegal hunting is higher,” she said.
HUNTING OF BIRD PROHIBITED
Even though hunting of the Himalayan Monal Pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus) is banned since 1982, there has been little check on its poaching and plumes are easily available in the market.
Also known as the Impeyan Monal, Impeyan Pheasant, the bird belongs to the pheasant family. It is the state bird of Uttrakhand as well as Nepal’s national bird, where it is known as the ‘danphe’. It was also the state bird of HP till 2007 before being replaced by Western Tragopan, locally known as Jujurana. The scientific name – Lophophorus impejanus – was given to honour Lady Mary Impey, the wife of British chief justice of Bengal, Sir Elijah Impey. The bird’s native range extends from Afghanistan through the Himalayas in Pakistan, Kashmir region, Nepal, southern Tibet, Bhutan and Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. There is also a report of its occurrence in Burma.
Although, the bird is a least concerned species in the ICUN list of endangered species, Monal is among the threatened species in some ranges due to large scale poaching. The Monal is largely killed for its plume. The locals wear it crested in silver or gold or on the cap. As per an estimate the state has about 5,000 Monals.
CM JAIRAM THAKUR ’S
OFFICE HAS ASKED DCS IN THE STATE TO ENSURE THAT THE BAN IS STRICTLY IMPLEMENTED