BHUBANESWAR: Despite stress on proper management of forest and wildlife resources, the conviction rate in forest-related offences including wildlife crimes in the state has remained abysmally low.
While thousands of arrests have been made in connection with the theft of timber, kendu leaf, wildlife articles, sandalwood, vehicles and boulders from forest areas between 2019 and 2023, conviction rate in these offences has remained only 0.28 per cent.
As per the statistics of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change department, at least 3,251 cubic metre (cum) of timber, 1,977 quintal of kendu leaf, 414 wildlife articles, 32 quintals of sandalwood and around 300 cum of stones and boulders were seized in the state between 2019 and 2023. Theft of around 260 forest vehicles have also been reported during this period.
Accordingly, the department had lodged FIR against a total of 6,348 persons. However, only 18 persons have been convicted, while 44 acquitted. The highest seven persons were convicted in 2023 and there was nil in 2022. Similarly, two persons were convicted in 2019, four in 2020 and five in 2021 over seizure of different forest and wildlife items. The number of FIRs lodged in 2023 was 1,022; 1,367 in 2022; 1,376 in 2021; 1,329 in 2020 and 1,254 in 2019.
The overall conviction rate even drops further to 0.26 per cent if statistics of forest-related offences till June 2024 is included in which the Forest department lodged FIR against 431 persons. No conviction has been reported so far this year, while one individual has been released without punishment.
The inability on part of the government and Forest department in securing conviction for the accused despite seizure of huge volumes of forest products and wildlife items points to a huge gap in forest management and enforcement system.
Inadequate evidence collection, lack of adequate knowledge on law, poor drafting of offence report and delay in filing charge sheet etc., are some of the key factors that need to be addressed to present a strong case against the accused for their conviction, said retired IFS officer Suresh Kumar Mishra.