BARIPADA:With 'Pana Sankranti' little over a week away, the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) management has intensified surveillance to stop 'Akhand Shikar' that involves ritualistic hunting of wild animals.
The national park authorities have decided to engage additional security forces for surveillance besides creating awareness among tribals to change their mind towards poaching. A key strategy is to hold sporting activities across the villages. "Pana Sankranti" will be observed on April 14.
Mass hunting is a practice under which villagers from the forest helmets belonging to Udala, Kaptipada, Dukura, Shamakhunta, Jashipur, Karanjia, Rairangpur and Thakurmunda ranges enter the national park and poach animals. They also create forest fire to hunt the small animals.
Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (FCCF) and Field Director of Similipal National Park M Yogajayanand said 'Akhand Shikar' stopped four years ago.
Apart from engaging additional security personnel, he said, the Forest Department has started sports activities and tribals are participating in large numbers. It is aimed at changing their mindset to wards poaching, he said. Besides awareness drives, flag march and awareness on Wildlife Act are being conducted in the villages.
Tribal priests are also being roped in to dissuade locals against killing animals and tribals have paid heed to their advice in the past. Apart from these initiatives, drone cameras and M-STiPE app will be used to check poaching inside the park.