In a move aimed at adding more teeth to its anti-poaching measures and monitor movement of poachers in the dark, the Assam Forest department has decided to install state-of-the-art cameras inside Kaziranga park.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain said this on Friday while adding that the National Tiger Conservation Authority has approved for installing thermal and non-thermal cameras at vital locations inside the park to keep a watch on poachers’ movement day and night so that prompt action can be taken.
Hussain said that installation of cameras will be done on the lines of Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, where nine such cameras had been installed so far.
The move is expected to bring in positive results in stopping poaching activities inside the famous national park of Assam, particularly after the State’s proposal for unmanned drone aircraft for aerial monitoring of the park had been turned down by the Central Government a few months back.
According to officials, the Union Ministry of Defence did not approve the use of UAV in Kaziranga for security reasons. Also the rise in rhino poaching in Kaziranga has also made it imperative for the Forest department to seek the help of technologies to contain poaching inside the park, which is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
At least 21 rhinos were poached in Kaziranga this year so far.
The Minister informed that the cameras will be installed atop towers at different locations of the park, and also in some location adjoining Karbi Anglong district. Real-time images from different towers will be accessed at three control centres —Kaziranga field director’s office at Bokakhat, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) office in Guwahati and NTCA office in New Delhi.
“We are planning to erect at least 12 towers in Kaziranga. The towers will of 30 metres, 40 metres and 45 metres in height depending on the terrain. Each camera on the tower will cover an area of 10 km. We may also increase the number of towers depending on the necessity,” Hussain explained.
A rapid action team will also be put in place at the Bokakhat control centre for coordinating with the staff of anti-poaching camps in case poachers’ movement is detected by the cameras.
The Minister said that NTCA has agreed to fund the project.
“We will start the work from the current financial year with an initial funding of `3 crore. Subsequently the fund amount will be increased,” he added.