Baripada: Amid intensified efforts to douse fires in Similipal sanctuary, forest officials arrested two poachers, who were trying to set fire to Dudhiani forest in Karanjia division in Mayurbhanj district, to hunt animals. The two were produced in a court Tuesday.
The two accused were identified as Salu Diu (25) of Khadikuda and Pratap Hembram (30) of Dudhiani. Forest officials have seized 22 snares with total length of 415 ft from them.
It was learnt that they used the snares to catch rabbits. It was alleged that poaching activities and fires often scare wildlife, who try to escape from forests, but eventually stray into human habitations.
For an instance, a deer strayed into Biju Maharana’s house at Jharaphula, late Monday night. The animal has been rescued. According to reports, wildlife inside the sanctuary has been sacred and unsafe due to raging fires when rising temperatures have made their lives hellish, forcing them to stray out of forests.
Meanwhile, a 50-member ODRAF team sent by the state government was split into four groups. These groups have been trying hard to douse fires in Chahala, Pithabata, Jashipur and Karanjia ranges.
Fires have still been raging in Bangiriposi, Chahala, Usaki, Barehipani, Kabatghai, Dudhiani, Pattabila, Debasthala, Kandabhenu, Sarua, Nana South and North areas.
Environmentalist Bhanumitra Acharya said that the number of forest staff is engaged in fire-fighting exercise is not enough to do the job quickly. The official report claimed that wildlife in the core area of the sanctuary has not been affected, but the reality is different.
People in three villages in the core area; 61 villages in the buffer zone and 12000 villages at the foothill areas are encircled by fires. As flora has been massively damaged, thousands of tribal people depending on minor forest produce have been affected.
Meanwhile, Collector Vineet Bhardwaj, SP Smith P Parmar, and Baripada DFO Santosh Joshi took stock of situation at Masanibila forest and other areas Tuesday. Besides, members of various organizations have joined the fire fighting exercise in the sanctuary.
PNN
