Grappling with limited existing resources to prevent poaching of wild animals, the Nagpur Forest division is planning to increase regular joint patrolling in the wildlife and territorial forest areas in co-ordination with other government agencies including Police Department, MSEDCL, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) etc. The Nagpur District Tiger Cell conducted a workshop on Wednesday in which senior officials of Nagpur Rural Police, NHAI, MSEDCL, and other departments were present. The workshop was held to address the recent ‘red alert’ issued by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) for activeness of organised poaching groups in Central India.

 

“The workshop was held to sensitise all government departments about the threat of wildlife poaching issued by the WCCB, recently. Police Department plays a major role to capture poachers. Cops should be sensitise about it,” Dr Bharat Singh Hada, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Nagpur, told ‘The Hitavada’. “We have discussed on five major points of tiger poaching and smuggling of body parts in the workshop. Proper co-ordination is required between all departments to restrict this crime which was also discussed,” said Dr Hada. Forest and Police departments will increase the intensity of joint patrolling in and around forest areas of the district in coming days. “We will monitor all temporary settlements and camps near forest area and will also spread awareness about such camps among villagers,” said Dr Hada. “We also urged MSEDCL to inform every tripping incidence to police and forest department immediately to avoid any poaching incident. We are going to intensify night patrolling in forest areas also,” said the senior forest officer.