The authorities will be writing a letter to the state government within a day or so to get the formalities completed before the wildlife guards can be equipped with firearms.

Gurbaz Singh, Chief Warden, Wildlife, Punjab, said a letter would be written to the Secretary concerned within a day or so for the issuance of a notification empowering officials of the Wildlife Department to carry and use firearms, whenever required. The Punjab Government would be urged to carry out an amendment in the Wildlife Protection Act.

The state government would also be urged to give the same powers to the Wildlife Department officials that had been given to the Punjab Police regarding use of firearms.

It is learnt that more than 80 firearms, including five pistols and about 77 double- barrel .12 bore guns, were purchased by the state Wildlife Department about 10 years ago to equip its field force with firearms. There were a number of cases of encroachment, poaching and illegal fishing in Hari Ke sanctuary, forest reserves in the Kandi areas and other protected areas.

However, these firearms could not be used by the officials of the Wildlife Department as they were not trained to do it. Moreover, there was no provision in the Wildlife Act that empowered them to use firearms. Besides, the wildlife sanctuaries and protected forest areas were not having an armoury to keep these weapons in safe custody.