The end of last month saw more than 50,000 migratory birds arrive in Chilika Lake, taking shelter in Kalupara, Nalabana bird sanctuary, Manglajodi and Satapara areas. The wildlife division has opened 16 watch camps and 14 squads to protect the winged guests from poachers and hunters, sources said.

To avoid poaching watchtowers have been set up and patrolling boats have been oiled and repaired. But according to sources, the patrolling powerboats were much inferior to the boats used by poachers thus raising questions on the capability of the squads deployed by the wildlife division to tackle the poaching menace.

Now five motorfitted countryboats and only one fibre high-speed powerboat was available with the wildlife division. Nine horsepower engines have been fitted to the countryboats and 40 hp engines to the only fibre boat available. But poachers have fitted 25 hp engines in their motorboats.

So the speed of their boats is higher. Only one high-speed fibre powerboat is not capable to watch poachers in the 1,100 sq km surrounding the lake.

The Chilika wildlife division DFO said, "We are conducting our duties with existing resources, if required we will be fitting extra engines to our boats to protect the winged guests."

He added, if the Government provides four extra high-speed powerboats, the wildlife division would be totally capable of checking poachers.