BARIPADA : Weeks after equipping the forest field staff with arms to ramp up fight against poachers, authorities of the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) have now formed six units of special strike force to prevent poaching of wild animals in the protected area.
The units will be engaged at six camps located in core areas of the STR which is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, bears, sambar, reptiles and other animals.Regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF) and field director of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni on Wednesday said each team of the strike force will comprise 20-25 persons including special tiger protection force (STPF) members, Similipal protection squad members and retired defence personnel.
“The teams were trained by police personnel a month back. The strike force units were imparted training on how to deal with armed confrontation with poachers,” the RCCF said.At least 23 routes are linked to the core areas through which armed poachers can easily enter the STR. The strike force units will be deployed at vulnerable routes to prevent entry of the poachers. They will also be mobilised to gather ground intelligence in fringe villages to bust poaching rackets in the region.
Gogineni said each unit has been provided with three guns. The Forest department is procuring more arms for the strike force units.“The strike force will be further armed and trained by the police. It will be a continuous process to ensure protection of wildlife and safety of Similipal national park,” the RCCF said and added that the units will be deployed in core areas within a month.
Gogineni said Similipal has 14 fully-loaded campers to go after the poachers. These customised multi-utility vehicles will be provided to the strike force units for emergency purposes. Besides, more ex-servicemen will be inducted to revive the STPF units. They will be engaged in strike force units in Similipal and Kuldiha-Hadgarh landscape to fight armed poachers and strengthen protection measures.