BHUBANESWAR: Amid a spate of attacks on frontline staff and the killing of two personnel by poachers in Similipal Tiger Reserve, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)’s high-level team has suggested immunity for forest officials of Odisha under section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for use of firearms during official duties as is the norm in Assam and Maharashtra.
The provisions under section 197 of CrPC, if implemented, will grant the forest field staff protection from arrest and criminal proceedings, unless a magisterial investigation finds the use of firearms was unnecessary, unwarranted and excessive.
Assam government provided such immunity by issuing a notification in July 2010 which is applicable to all forest officers including watchers, guards, foresters, rangers, ACFs and other senior rank officials as well as those engaged in maintenance of public order relating to forest and wildlife protection and conservation. The Maharashtra government also issued a similar order following a series of big cat poaching-related cases in 2012.
Such measures are essential for the forest staff, especially in sensitive areas, considering their disadvantageous position during their encounter with armed poachers, said a forest official.
The Central team which took stock of the tiger park during its recent visit has also recommended a slew of other measures including an amnesty scheme to facilitate the voluntary surrender of illegal arms kept by villagers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) buffer zone and a special recruitment drive for tribal communities in the fringe villages to encourage their involvement in forest and wildlife protection in the region.
‘Provide immunity to STR staff for firearm use’
The three-member team, headed by DG of Forests Chandra Prakash Goyal, recommended a crackdown by the police on villages having illegal arms markets. It also suggested an amnesty scheme to encourage the voluntary surrender of illegal arms by taking fringe villagers into confidence.
The team, in its report, cited the ancient customary practice of ‘Akhand Shikar’ (mass hunting) by tribal communities that has eventually become a common practice for poaching wild animals for bush meat in the region.
The Forest department has been advised to work out alternative livelihood options for forest communities and conduct special recruitment drives for fringe tribal communities, especially Santhals, Ho and Kolho along with other particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) against the vacant positions in forest and police departments.
Moreover, the team has also recommended adequate training of staff, use of sniffer dogs in wildlife crimes and patrolling by elephants to improve protection in STR.