While the numbers of wild animals like elephants and tigers are depleting fast due to deforestation and industrialisation, the Odisha Krushak Mahasangha (OKM) has suggested various measures for protection the animals.
“Wild animals, particularly elephants, are often coming to human habitations in search of foods and drinking water, which are not now available in jungles due to depletion of forests.
Sustenance of these animals are very necessary for maintain a balanced ecosystem. Thus, man-animal conflict is taking place. Besides, poachers are also killing such animals for teeth and hides. Hence, the Government should take immediate measures to protect thes animals,” said OKM president and former MLA Bibhudhendra Pratap Das.
Informing that he has written to the Chief Minster in this regard, Das urged the Government to set up a special court for quick disposal of crime cases related to wild animals.
He suggested that informers of poachers be rewarded cash prizes beteen Rs 50,000 and Rs 1lakh and their names be kept secret to check hunting of animals. Anti-poacher squads should be deployed in all wildlife forest divisions, he said.
To protect forests, he said the Government should ban use of forest woods for making of furniture and other articles used in private buildings.
Electricity may be disconnected to buildings that use varluable forest woods. Fines collected from illegal users may be distributed among informers and concerned Government employes at 35 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, said Das.
Stating that 69.45 km forest area diverted between 2000 and 2012 for industrialization in the State, Das said the Government should undertake plantation drives through private agencies by keeping bank guarantees so that trees planted by them would be taken care of till they are grown fully.
To protect elephants from train accidents, solar fencing should be put in place on both the sides of tracks in forest areas by the Railways.
To protect people from attack of tigers, villages around the jungles should be shifted in line with the policy of Mandhya Pradesh. Member of each shifted family should be given a forest
guard job in the Forest Department, suggested Das.
He expressed concern that four
leopards were killed and seven tiger hides seized during the last four months in the State.