Once notorious for elephant poaching, Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha has devised innovative anti-poaching strategies. After taming a number of hardcore poachers from the fringe villages of the reserve into protectors, the reserve management is set to issue identity cards to the natives starting from the age of five in all the 61villages.
This is to eliminate presence of professional poachers from Jharkhand and North-eastern States.The Pioneer had earlier reported how a number of dreaded poachers from the surrounding villages surrendered before the reserve management, which inducted them into the forest protection squad or associated them with various Government-sponsored schemes.
“This is the next step forward,” pointed out Field Director Anup Naik, who is taking special initiatives to curb poaching in the reserve. Simlipal is connected to Jharkhand through the contiguous stretches of Rairangpur and Sorgada forests, which provide easy passage for professional poachers.
Most of the villagers in this part of the reserve are tribals who share the same origin as those in Jharkhand. Hence, it is difficult to isolate them from the local population. Taking advantage of this, the poachers easily manage to escape, explained Nayak. The first phase of the project has been taken up in 11 villages covering one Gram Panchayat.
The situation worsened especially after the Maoist attack in the reserve in 2009. The Simlipal forests then proved to be safe passage and hideouts for these extremists, giving a free run for poachers. The threat of extremists not only kept away the officials of forest department from entering the jungles, but the poachers even managed to acquire latest arms from them.
The maximum number of deaths of elephants was reported between 2009-2011, when as many as 20 wild tuskers were killed either by poisoning or firing, pointed out the Field Director.
“We have strengthened our intelligence network with the help of local communities and now this strategy of providing I-cards will be a deterrent for outside elements for poaching,” said Bhanumitra Acharya, Honorary Wildlife warden, STR. Survey is already on in the pilot villages. There are three villages in the core area and 58 in the buffer. The step will also prevent undue victimisation of the local communities in the name of poaching, he added.
Work has been assigned to an Environmental NGO Sangram, which operates in the area along with the local communities. “The NGO has already taken up the work of survey in the villages,” said Sanjukta Basa, also Honorary Wildlife warden in
STR. Along with this, a socio economic survey is also being conducted in the villages to work out further livelihood options for the local communities based on their skills, she added.