With the dates of the upcoming lok Sabha elections being announced, the Government machinery is expected to be focused mainly on the elections apart from other works in disaster affected areas.
Meanwhile, many wildlife activists have expressed fear that poachers and other wildlife criminals may take advantage of this situation and urged authorities to step up vigilant wildlife animals in the State.
On the other hand, the State Forest department anti-poaching cell director has declared a red alert in the Chamoli region taking congnisance of intelligence inputs about wildlife crimes.
It may be recalled that presence of gangs of Bawaria poachers was reported in areas of Uttar Pradesh neighbouring protected forest areas in Uttarakhand including Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji National Park and areas of Uttarakhand near the border with Nepal. More recently, two persons from Chamoli district were arrested with the pelt of a leopard believed to have been shot in Chamoli.
The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Administration and Intelligence, SK Dutt who is also the anti-poaching cell director, said that he had declared a red alert in the Chamoli region for stepping up wildlife security. “Regarding the possibility of wildlife criminals trying to exploit the Government machinery’s focus on the election related tasks, I am planning to hold a meeting with our sources to decide upon the course of action to be taken,” he said.
The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) Uttarakhand in-charge Rajendra Agrawal said that it was good that national park staff have been kept away from election related tasks. “However, there is need for raising the level of vigilance and stepping up wildlife security measures to ensure that poachers do not take advantage of the government machinery being focused mainly on facilitating the conduct of the elections,” he said.
It is worth mentioning here that big cats in Uttarakhand are believed to be targeted by notorious poaching gangs based in different parts of India. Though the department periodically issues red alerts depending on intelligence received, wildlife activists maintain that stepping up routine patrolling is vital for improving the level of wildlife security in the State.