‘Vana Samrakshana Samithis’ neglected

A recent incident of alleged poaching of a spotted deer at the Seethampeta Banjara village in the Sujathanagar mandal under the Ramavaram forest range has again reinforced the need for revitalising the Vana Samrakshana Samithis (VSSs) to foster community-based wildlife conservation efforts.

On Thursday night, scouts from the Forest Department seized 6 kg of venison from three villagers and booked them under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Wire trap

Preliminary investigations revealed that the trio had killed a spotted deer by setting a trap with wires near a hillock in the Ramavaram reserve forest area on Thursday. Some elders of the Seethampeta Banjara village reportedly expelling the three villagers allegedly involved in the poaching case. However, officials feigned ignorance of any such development.

When contacted, the Ramavaram Forest Ranger Madhusudhan told The Hindu that a case under the Wildlife Protection Act has already been registered against one Kotilingam and his two accomplices from Seethampeta Banjara for killing the spotted deer.

Efforts are on to apprehend the trio, who are at large, he said, adding that Haritha Rakshana Committees were constituted to step-up community-based forest and wildlife protection measures.

Wildlife at risk

Several cases of poaching of wild animals have been reported from various parts of the Ramavaram forest range over the past few years.

Suspected poachers killed two leopards, including a one-and-a-half year old cub, at a hillock in the Abbugudem beat of the same range in July 2016. Seven persons were arrested in connection with the case a few weeks later, in the same year.

Incidents of wild animals, mainly wild boars and spotted deer, straying into the Ramavaram forest range’s fringe areas in search of water have been rising. The range is situated in close proximity to a coal mining zone. The forest staff rescued a deer after it ventured into a human habitation in the Rudrampur area after being chased by stray dogs a few weeks ago.

The deer was subsequently released into the deer park, which is a part of the Kinnersani wildlife sanctuary in the Palvancha mandal.

With most of the VSSs becoming inactive in the Kothagudem Forest Division over the past several years, sources said participatory forest management initiatives aimed at protecting forests and wildlife had suffered a setback in the fringe forest areas surrounding the coal belt region.