Post News Network
Baripada, Dec 29: Expressing deep concern over the crimes inflicted on wildlife, regional deputy director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB, Jabalpur), Abhijit Roychowdhury, observed, “Ignorance coupled with dwindling income level of people living in the fringe areas of forests, has put enormous pressure on the balance of biodiversity.”
He was addressing a seminar on sensitisation on prevention of crimes against wildlife and role of panchayatiraj institutions of buffer villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) here Tuesday.
He said tribal people were instrumental in protection of nature which was considered an example across the globe. “But ill-conceived and pre-planned poaching going on in protected forests and sanctuaries have impacted the growth of wildlife population,” Roychowdhury lamented. Panchayatiraj institutions present in fringe areas of STR should play a vital role in persuading the villagers to refrain from poaching, asserted the deputy director. WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body set up by the Government of India under the Union ministry of environment and forests to combat organised crimes against wildlife in the country.
He described Orissa as an important state in the country in view of its rich flora and vibrant fauna. “About 48,855 sq/km out of the total geographical area of 1,55,707 sq/km in Orissa is covered by forest, which is 31.38 per cent of its total area,” he added.
Roychowdhury underscored the need for regular deliberation on the safety of wildlife, apart from lessening forest dwellers’ dependency on forest produce. He urged the people’s representatives to alert forest officials about the nomadic people, if they camped near their villages with an intention of hunting animals.
Among others present in the seminar were field director of STR Harish Kumar Bist, STR deputy director Ajit Kumar Satpathy and several other forest department officials.
