In what is a big deviation of the original plan mooted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority which called for a dedicated force to guard the tiger habitat, the Department has issued orders for selection from the existing guards and foresters who are under 30 years of age.

These personnel will be drawn from the four divisions - Similipal Core, Rairangpur, Baripada and Karanjia. Strangely, the Department is silent on how the divisions will function when the core personnel will be absorbed for Similipal duty.

In May last year, the State Government had announced constitution of its first tiger protection force for Similipal. A company of force to be headed by an assistant conservator of forests (ACF), the official strength of the STPF is 112. To be funded by the NTCA, the company is to comprise three range officers, 18 foresters and 90 forest guards besides the ACF. The Department was to carry out fresh recruitment for 18 foresters and 90 forest guards. However, it could not, having failed to resolve a host of issues.

Sources in the Wildlife Wing said the Department, which is under pressure for failing to give shape to the special unit even after a year of its notification, issued instructions that the STR management should identify the forest guards and foresters and constitute the force. There are 63 forest guards and 18 foresters available in the four divisions.

Acting on the Department’s order, the STR management constituted a selection committee comprising the Field Director and four DFOs to prepare a list of the personnel. It found 57 forest guards and 18 foresters making the cut.

The panel recommended that the guards and foresters should be brought on deputation for just a year for STPF duty while the Government must start recruitment process so that the fully-dedicated unit can be comprised.

Interestingly, the previous PCCF (Wildlife) PN Padhi, who is currently PCCF (General), had successfully pursued the NTCA for sanction of funds and Home Department for sanction of fire power to the STPF personnel. However, the Department’s move will not only leave the four divisions severely depleted, it is unlikely to yield significant result since forest guards and foresters do not have police power.

Originally, the protection force was to receive special training from the State Police as well as the Central Para-Military Forces based on a special syllabus for skill development, combating poaching and intelligence-based enforcement in the forested terrains. It was also to train as per the syllabus meant for India Reserve Battalion and get international exposure to understand international benchmarks.