The Odisha government has allowed forest officers at circle level to access call details, tower dump data and live tracking of persons suspected to be involved in wildlife offences.
The decision, first of its kind, has been taken to empower forest officials to go after poachers and wildlife traders in the State. Recently, field level forest officials had undergone arms training to deal with organised wildlife poachers in deep forests.
“The government has allowed forest officers at circle level to access call details, tower dump data and live tracking wildlife crime suspects. Whenever required, superintendents of police have been asked to facilitate this as per requisition,” said S. K. Popli, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) on the sidelines of celebration of State level Wildlife Week 2023.
According to recent information furnished in State Legislative Assembly, 698 elephants, seven Royal Bengal Tiger and 48 leopards (many of them poached) have lost their lives during the past eight years. The Odisha High Court had taken strong exceptions —frequent deaths of elephants in Similipal Tiger Reserve —and passed a series of order to arrest the trend.
Recently, State Home Department intimated all top police officers to share call detail reports and live tracking of suspects with Regional Chief Conservators of Forest of circles such as Baripada, Bhawanipatna, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Koraput, Sambalpur, Angul and Rourkela. Besides, same would be given access to Chief Conservator of Forest cum chairman of Joint Task Force for the entire State. Analysis of tower dump records would also be shared with forest officers.
Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “the mankind and wildlife are very closely associated, loss of any keystone species due to human- induced biotic interference will have adverse impact on the Ecosystem and survival of human beings.“ People of the State should come forward and join hands for protection and conservation of wildlife and restoration of eco-system, he appealed.
