Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to strengthen the protection measures in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in the state’s Mayurbhanj district, especially keeping in view the rising menace of poachers in the area. A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena at the Lok Seva Bhawan here on Thursday.
The meeting, which was held following directives of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, decided to intensify raids will be to unearth illegal firearm manufacturing units in villages close to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve. Moreover, legal actions will be taken against those involved in the manufacturing of illegal firearms.
At the same time, the government has decided to undertake combing operations in the Tiger Reserve by the Mayurbhanj district police, while surveillance and intelligence activities will be stepped up in the tiger reserve. A new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be formed for the purpose by a joint team of Mayurbhanj Police and Forest Department, in consultation with the STR authorities.
The Forest personnel inside the Simlipal Tiger Reserve will be trained on the use of firearms. Outdated double-barrel guns will be replaced with modern firearms and ammunition, the Chief Secretary said.
It has also been decided to launch community awareness and participation programmes by involving the local panchayat leaders involved in managing the security in the Tiger Reserve. The meeting decided that till the time the vacant positions in the district Forest department are filled up, the Forest department and STR authorities will engage their respective staffs from other divisions for animal surveillance, patrolling to nab the poachers and wood mafia as well.
