UP to get exclusive force to protect wildlife

[Bibhav Behera]

The Uttar Pradesh Forest Department will soon set up an armed force to tackle poachers and check the crime against wildlife in the state.

The Wildlife Protection Force (WPF) is being constituted on the guidelines of

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The personnel will be given training at par with the state police force.

Though the main focus of the security force will be to check crime against wildlife, particularly tiger poaching, it will also check crimes like illegal cutting of trees. The forest department has sent the proposal to state home department seeking training support, and as soon as the proposal is finalised the recruitment process will kick off, said a senior forest department official.

“Wildlife poaching is a major problem in UP. The tiger reserves of Dudhwa in Lakhimpur Kheri and Katarniya Ghat in Bahraich are under constant threat from poachers. After declaring the area as critical tiger habitat, this (forming a special force) is the second step we are taking for tackling wildlife crime and managing tiger conservation in the state,” Minister for Forests and Wildlife Fateh Bahadur Singh told The Indian Express.

Taken from http://www.indianexpress.com/news/A-...ildlife/684208

[Sabyasachi Patra]

It is good to have a dedicated force. However, there are questions about their jurisdiction, capability and motivation. Can they pursue poachers outside the forest areas? Can they fire upon the poachers like the forest guards in Assam?

Ideally, the forests should be guarded by an All India force which can move across the state borders along the contiguous forests. When the poachers move across state borders, the force should also be able to do so.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi