Kolkata: The state Forest department has set the ball rolling for providing sophisticated firearms to the forest guards across the state for more effective curbing of wildlife crime and smuggling of forest wood.
"We have prepared a scheme of Rs 8.5 crore in connection with this issue which will cover the wildlife areas in North Bengal and the Sunderbans along with the non-wildlife areas in different forests of South Bengal. Our primary intention is to equip our forest guards with sophisticated firearms, smartphones, vehicles and motorcycles, speedboats (for the Sunderbans) so that they can tackle wildlife crime more effectively. Drones will be used for monitoring in extremely dense forests," state Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick said.
The 12 bore pistol and rifles of yesteryears will be replaced by pump action gun, 9 mm pistols, SLR rifles etc. "We have sought the nod of the state Home department so that we can start procuring these. We will start by providing these sophisticated firearms to the forest guards of the Sunderbans, Gorumara and Jaldapara National Parks, Neora Valley and Buxa Tiger Reserve from where wildlife crimes are mainly reported," Mallick added.
Over the last few years, there have been instances of wildlife crimes like smuggling of elephant tusk, tiger skin (both Royal Bengal Tiger and leopard), rhinoceros horns etc. However, the strict vigil of forest guards has resulted in nabbing of miscreants too with 775 persons being arrested in the last one year alone.
In recent times, cases of illegal trading of snake venom have also been unearthed.
The role of the forest guards deserves a special mention in the context of curbing wildlife crime as 2,200 such personnel have been doing their work tirelessly with an existing vacancy of 2,000.