· Unmanned aerial vehicle and spotter scopes to be acquired

· GPS receivers and digitised maps to be used during anti-poaching operations

· Poaching mainly reported from Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Mysore districts

· State police tops in detection of forest offences

BANGALORE: The CID Forest Cell of the State police will soon acquire hi-tech gadgets, including thermal imaging cameras worth Rs. 25 lakhs each and global positioning system (GPS) receivers, to check poaching and smuggling.

The Inspector-General of Police (Forest Cell), K.S.N. Chikkerur, told The Hindu that under the Police Modernisation Programme the Centre has sanctioned Rs. 50 lakhs to the CID Forest Cell to purchase two thermal imaging cameras.

Besides detecting the presence of animals and human beings, the cameras will take photographs.

The battery-operated cameras can be mounted on weapons or helmets, he said.

"As every animal and human being have different thermal signatures, the cameras will help us in detecting animals or people even if they are hiding behind a bush or a rock," Mr. Chikkerur said.

One of the cameras will be with the Superintendent of Police (Forest Cell), Madikeri, and the other will be in the possession of the IGP.

The cell will also be getting GPS receivers that will pinpoint the exact area of operation of poachers or smugglers and help the police in nabbing the criminals.

The cell has got digitised maps of the forests in the State, he said.

"We are planning to acquire an unmanned aerial vehicle with facility to take photographs and spotter scopes fitted with cameras," he said.

The cell is already in possession of the latest directional microphones that can indicate the direction of different sounds, including human and animal voices. "Besides the directional microphones, we are also using trap cameras during anti-poaching operations and this has helped us in catching the poachers, Mr. Chikkerur said.

Officials of the cell are also equipped with five night vision binoculars that can spot even a dim torch light at a distance of two km; 20 daylight binoculars; digital voice recorders and digital cameras, he said.

Poaching

Poaching in the State is mainly reported from the forests coming under Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Mysore districts and Kanakapura taluk in Bangalore Rural district.

Besides tigers and elephants, poachers also kill deer, bison, rabbits, reptiles and partridges for their meat, Mr. Chikkerur said.

The Karnataka police account for the highest number of detections and recovery in regard to forest offences in the country. Since 1994, different wings of the State police have seized sandalwood, other forest produce and animal skin and vehicles that were used for smuggling, together worth Rs. 40 crores.

The police have arrested nearly 7,000 people.