Dhenkanal ups ante, poachers face the heat

DHENKANAL: Increased vigil by the Forest department has led to detection of more poaching cases in the district. According to official records, between April and December this year, as many as 57 cases have been registered and 70 persons arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act. Only 14 cases were registered and 32 arrested under the Act between April 2019 and January 2020. 

DFO Prakash Chand Gogineni  said, the forest department is ensuring 24x7 patrolling, regular enforcement, increased use of intelligence and surveillance system. Sources informed that persistent raids of forest officials have made a dent in poaching activities in Rasol, Hindol, Kapilash sanctuary and Mahavir road range where killing of wildlife by laying live wires was rampant. 

While intensified vigil comes as a welcome move and is a step forward in mitigating wildlife crime, inadequate staff concerns persist. As per reports, there are about 30 to 40 per cent vacancy in forest guards and 20 per cent in foresters in the district.“We have sought filling of the vacant posts and communicated the same to State authorities. However, we need support of people for more detection of wildlife crime and forest protection,” Gogineni said.

The magnitude of poaching in the district came to fore recently after two leopard skins, deer hide and other wildlife items were seized from three persons, including a government school teacher Narendra Kumar Digi, in a huge crackdown by Kapilash forest range officials.After a fortnight-long search, the squad had intercepted Digi, mastermind of the racket, late on Sunday night and seized a portion of an elephant tusk, from his possession. 

In subsequent raids, two spotted deer antlers, eight leopard teeth, nine sloth bear nails, a wild pig tooth, two tortoise carapace and poaching weapons were also recovered from Digi’s two associates Laxman and Ananta Murmu. Following the seizure, the DFO had said it was apparent that the trio was involved in poaching on a regular basis. “In the last four months, we have raided houses of all suspected poachers after gathering data,” he said.