Bargarh: The Odisha government has inducted a five-member all-woman squad for the protection of forest and animals in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, officials said Saturday.
For the first time, an all-woman squad has been inducted into the force in the sanctuary.
Of the freshly inducted personnel, four hail from tribal families living in villages situated on the foothills of the wildlife sanctuary, DFO, Hirakud division, Anshu Pagyan Das said.
Since childhood, they have spent their time wandering in the forests and have witnessed increasing human pressure on the sanctuary, cases of electrocution of animals due to the erection of wires by residents of peripheral villages to protect their crops, and also the Odisha-Chhattisgarh cross-border trade of wildlife animals and their parts, she said.
“The women have been selected because of their commitment to wildlife and forest protection, fearless attitude, and dream to have a meaningful life by serving nature,” Das said.
The DFO said that the women have undergone three months of physical training since October.
Two of the five women personnel are expert swimmers, and they have also been trained in cruise diving, she added.
The all-woman squad will start working in the sanctuary from January 1, Das said.
Anjali Topno, a member of the squad, said, “I feel honoured to be a part of the Debrigarh enforcement unit. I am financially independent now and would also be able to support my family. Everyone will look at me with pride as I am contributing towards the protection of Debrigarh sanctuary and saving this forest for our future generations.”
“We wanted an all-woman enforcement squad, as many of our frontline staffers are women living inside the sanctuary. This move will motivate villagers to protect the sanctuary,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) P K Jha said.
PTI