COIMBATORE: The involvement of two temporary forest staff in an elephant tusk poaching case in Manomboly forest range has raised eyebrows about the safety of animals. While the two staff, D Premdass (39) and V Raman (35), have been arrested, there is a need to monitor the regular activities of the existing staff, especially temporary staff, to ensure that the animals and the forest are free from poachers.
It may be recalled that Manomboly forest range officials arrested five persons, including the two temporary staff, on the charges of trying to sell two elephant tusks at Thaimudi estate after retrieving the tusks from a dead elephant inside the forest on June 20. They had retrieved the tusks a year ago, and the other three accused had stored it.
Premdass was later promoted as forest watcher.
Wildlife activists say that the main reason for the staff indulging in such practices is that they are paid less, which forces them to turn to such offences to earn a quick buck. Moreover, forest department officials must check the background of every staff member to prevent poaching, and monitor their activities with the help of tribals and NGOs, say activisits.
N Sadiq Ali, founder of Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT) said, "The arrest of the two temporary staff has set off alarm bells in the Tamil Nadu forest department to revisit the background of their temporary workers through police, and monitor their regular activities by appointing a separate committee.”
"The forest department officials are giving temporary jobs to people, including tribals, considering the existing vacancies. A committee should be formed, especially to monitor the existing staff and gather intelligence to prevent poaching with the help of members of Tamil Nadu Forest Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (TNFWCCB), as most information about wild animal movement and their deaths are leaked by the staff. In the recent case, three poachers daringly poached the elephant tusk with the help of the two staff," Sadiq told TNIE.
K Kalidass, founder of the NGO Osai, said, "We should see the arrest of the two Anti-Poaching Watchers as individual mistakes, and not blame the entire temporary workforce. It is time to analyse why they have been involved in such acts despite receiving salary from the forest department. We must consider the arrest of the two APWs as an important case and address the issues faced by the temporary workers.”
S Angu Kumar, state president of Anti Poaching Watchers Association told TNIE that the APWs were involved in the crime due to their financial and family situation.
Manomboly forest range officials and senior officials of the forest department of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) were unavailable for comment.