1st in Maha, Nagzira & Koka to get e-eyes for 24X7 surveillance

Nagpur: The Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in Gondia and Bhandara districts will get a Rs7.5 crore e-surveillance and anti-poaching system. This will be the first such project in the state on the lines of Rajasthan.
The 656sqkm NNTR is spread in five blocks. While Nagzira, New Nagzira and Koka wildlife sanctuaries are connected, roads, highways and railway line separate New Navegaon sanctuary and Navegaon national park from the three protected areas (PAs).
The technology-enabled surveillance system will help improve forest department’s monitoring mechanism for conserving tiger and other wildlife species.
“The hi-tech system will capture any movement of humans as well animals from over 500 metres while the cameras can be moved 360 degrees,” said officials.
State’s PCCF (wildlife) Nitin H Kakodkar said, “A Rs20 crore e-surveillance proposal was sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) last year for three areas namely Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), NNTR and Bramhapuri. The project will be funded by the NTCA and state on 60:40 basis.”
“The approval has come for NNTR. A survey has been conducted last week by the team that installed the system in Rajasthan and places have been identified. A request for proposal (RFP) will be the next step followed by floating of tenders,” said Kakodkar.
NNTR field director M Ramanujam said, “Of the two identified spots to install towers, one will be in Koka wildlife sanctuary and another in Nagzira. Both are at two ends of the sanctuary. The cutting-edge thermographic cameras with remote zoom capabilities will ensure effective monitoring, identification of poachers, check on infiltration, illegal mining and grazing and will help retrieve fact-based information for effective decision-making.”
“These cameras will also keep an eye on movement of wildlife species in highly sensitive zones and poaching-prone areas. Along with this, motion detection video and other required analytics tool have also been deployed,” Ramanujam added.
In Rajasthan, the system has been installed in Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukandara Hills, Jawaibandh (Pali) leopard conservation reserve and Jhanana nature park in Jaipur.
Commenting on the success of the system, Rajasthan’s PCCF (HoFF) GV Reddy was cautious. “There are limitations to the system if it doesn’t cover 100% area. It is partially successful. The reason being that there was requirement of 20 towers to cover the entire area, but only 10-11 were installed.”
“The success of e-surveillance depends on the extent of area where the cameras are being installed. If you stitch from the front and leave the back open, then it is not going to help. It’s better to cover one area 100% if good results are to be achieved. The state spent Rs40 crore on the entire project, but only 40% area is being covered,” said Reddy.
“The team from Maharashtra should visit Rajasthan before executing the project. We will be happy to showcase the project and share our nitty-gritties about the e-surveillance project,” the Rajasthan PCCF added.
How It Works
* With over 150 villages in NNTR buffer, there is huge biotic and poaching pressure on NNTR
* To curb tiger poaching and other anti-wildlife activities, thermal cameras will be installed with drones and advanced anti-poaching surveillance mechanism
* This will be first ever 24X7 surveillance & anti-poaching system in Maharashtra
* Two towers will be set up in Nagzira and Koka. These will be connected to control rooms
* Control rooms will be connected to each camera which will alert officials in case of any incident
* The system will also provide various reports to analyse movement pattern of wildlife species
* It will ensure effective monitoring, identification of poachers, check on infiltration, illegal mining etc
* The cameras will provide a live feed of wildlife movements and other activities in the covered area
* With use of integrated UAVs, wildlife monitoring, boundary monitoring, anti-poaching and anti-theft operations will be conducted