Trying to overcome inadequate with resources in dealing with wildlife crimes, especially organised gangs, across India, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has asked all state governments to set up exclusive "Wildlife crime control units" of local police and forest department officials.
WCCB's Additional director SB Negi wrote to all chief secretaries of all state governments and union territories on November 14, earlier this month, recommending formation of such units.
"Over the years, wildlife crime especially its illegal trade has become highly organised with trans-border ramifications. Its effective combating requires systematic identification and busting of organised networks by dedicated crime control units. The existing wildlife crime enforcement infrastructure in country has certain institutional weaknesses that hinder its effectiveness functioning requiring urgent attention. One of such limitation is lack of adequately resource and mandated institutional mechanism with state police and forest departments to deal exclusively with wildlife crimes," said Negi in his letter.
He thus suggested to States for setting up "exclusive Wildlife Crime Control Units" in each state police and forest department which have state-wide jurisdiction.
The advisory suggested that these units get powers to collect intelligence related to wildlife crime activities, establish wildlife crime databank, prevent, investigate and prosecute organised wildlife crime cases and also acts nodal point for WCCB, which is nodal body of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, on wildlife crime issues. It said that these agencies should also be able to advice state governments on issues relating to wildlife crime and related laws.
It also suggested constitution of "State Level Inter Agency Co-ordination Committees" for combating wildlife crimes. The move comes amidst rising wildlife crime – poaching and illegal trade of wildlife and their parts -in in India especially involving endangered species.
As per a senior WCCB officials, the need for such exclusive units at state level was felt because WCCB was facing problems in coordinating with different State agencies and in crimes involving several States. "It was also felt that presence of these state level units would increase resources against wildlife crime and help in keeping a stronger tab on them," the senior WCCB official explained.
