Elaborate vigil and safety of wildlife in the tiger reserve Palamu have been put in place. It is because of the two day Palamu Quila Mela beginning Tuesday today wherein 60,000 visitors are expected.
The site of the Mela is quite close to the Betla National Park under the tiger reserve Palamu and hence vigil and safety of wild life have been jacked up, said the deputy director north division of the tiger reserve Palamu P K Jena.
Jena said "We are determined to keep Betla National Park inviolate of these crowds of the Mela for two days. Our wildlife here will be in peril if an ocean of people descends there."
Drone is to keep aerial surveillance, Jena said.
Officials of the three forest ranges of the PTR namely Betla, Chhipadohar east and Chhipadohar west have been put on duty here for ensuring peace and safety of wild life Jena added.
Around 150 cops including SDPO Barwadih will be here, said the officer in charge of the nearest police station Barwadeeh Srinivas Singh.
Police officer Srinivas Singh said "Although the Palamu Quila Mela is on the Satbarwa police station limits, its thrust and penetration are more towards the Betla National Park and hence we are taking adequate measures to deal with the sanctity of the Betla National Park".
Deputy director north division of the tiger reserve Palamu Jena said "I shot off a missive to the DC /SP Latehar requesting them to ensure safety of the wild life. There has come a joint order of the two. 9 magistrates have been deputed for the Mela."
"In addition to the drone, ground vigil by the cops and magistrates, the tiger reserve Palamu has also pressed in its five eco development committees whose volunteers will fan out in the length and breadth of the Mela to stop any nuisance coming to the tiger reserve or to its residents the wild life" reiterated Jena.
Police officer Srinivas Singh, replying to a query as to what steps have been taken to curb gambling, said "The vulnerable dens of the gambling are already on our radar. We will frustrate gambling by all means."
The Mela sees a huge fleet of bikes and as such routes and traffic management become a big task to which Srinivas Singh said " We will keep traffic and routes clear of jam. We believe bikers will cooperate with us."
Deputy director north division made it clear that PTR has absolutely nothing to do with the festivities that go with the Mela but when it comes to the safety and well being of the wild life, PTR is always firm on maintaining the safety of its wild life at the top of the priority.
"Our safety concern for the wildlife is in fact reflective of our concern for the crowd of the Mela visitors also as here in the Betla National Park we have leopards and one knows many tales of leopard ranging from here to the forest of the Garhwa district and so we understand the visitors of the Mela spare our wild life from there any over zeal" said the deputy director north division of the tiger reserve Palamu.
Ramchander Singh the Congress MLA here said this Mela is an annual characteristic of the place. He said it is really important to ensure the wild life in the tiger reserve Palamu remains undisturbed.
Sources said the PTR is worried about noise, huge foot fall, leftovers, empty bottles, pouches, sachets etc which every Mela leaves behind but here lives the wild animal and hence the concern is most high.