Jaldapara Forest Division calls on youth to participate in wildlife conservation

Alipurduar: The Jaldapara Forest Division has urged local youth to actively participate in wildlife conservation, launching special awareness and motivational programmes in areas adjoining Jaldapara National Park. Alongside these initiatives, the Forest department has intensified patrolling along railway tracks passing through forest areas to ensure wildlife safety, particularly during foggy winter conditions.

The Jaldapara Forest Division began organising these programmes from Friday in villages near the national park.

A programme held at Kodalbasti witnessed the presence of senior officials from the Forest department, police and the Indian Army. Around 80 young men and women from surrounding areas participated enthusiastically in the programme.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, Praveen Kaswan, addressed the gathering and spoke in detail about wildlife crimes. He cautioned that organised criminal networks often mislead local youth into illegal wildlife-related activities and highlighted the serious legal consequences associated with such offences.

“The main objective of this discussion is to keep the youth away from wildlife crimes and to develop them as partners of the Forest department,” the DFO said.

Officials from the Army and police also explained recruitment processes and career opportunities in their respective forces, with the aim of helping young men and women build disciplined and respectable futures.

Similar programmes will be conducted in other areas as well. According to sources in the Jaldapara Wildlife Division, these awareness and motivational drives will be further intensified in sensitive areas and other ranges in the coming days to prevent wildlife crimes, enhance public awareness and strengthen cooperation with local communities.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Madarihat and Nilpara ranges conducted special patrolling along the railway track passing through forest areas in view of dense fog. The exercise focused on critical points where railway lines intersect elephant corridors.

The DFO said the Division plans to install cameras along these corridors to provide early warnings of elephant movement.

Regular patrolling, he added, is crucial to minimising injuries and fatalities of wild animals, especially elephants, on railway tracks.