Nagpur: Even as tiger poaching and illicit felling are at a peak, the wireless system of the forest department in territorial areas has gone bust. In the few wildlife areas where the system is still in operation, it is being run without a mandatory licence from the department of telecommunications under ministry of communications.

Currently, no wireless operating circle or division possesses the mandatory license under the Telegraph Act 1985, except Chandoli National Park in Sangli. Illegal wireless operations can attract three years imprisonment under Section 20 of the Act.

Sources said the present liability of spectrum charges due to price enhancement and 24% penalty, considering operation of wireless units sans licence in territorial and wildlife areas, is over 15 crore.

The most vulnerable forest circles of Chandrapur, Dhule, Thane, and Nagpur, where poaching and illicit felling is rampant, are facing a penalty of over 10 crore, while it could be over 5 crore in wildlife areas where wireless units operate sans licence.

Wireless system is still in operation in Pench and Navegaon-Nagzira tiger reserves by paying annual fee on the basis of letter of agreement (LoA). Though these parks too don't have valid licences, they are paying annual usage fee and are in the process of procuring licence.

However, sources said TATR has not paid spectrum charges for the last 24-28 years. The administration has also not taken a decision on cancelling the low band LoA of September 4, 1990, and November 20, 1986.

The life of radio equipment is 10 years but most sets are still in use after passage of over 15 years.

Additional PCCF (protection) KN Khaware admitted that wireless systems in territorial areas have gone defunct as they were old and licence lapsed. "We are struggling to renew licences. I have not taken a review of wireless units in wildlife areas," Khaware said.

The issue of defunct wireless units cropped up recently after the alleged poaching of a tigress in Patri area under FDCM, leading to the death of four cubs. The recent management effective evaluation (MEE) by NTCA and WII has also stressed on the need to connect buffer areas of Tadoba to the wireless network.

As many parks like Tadoba and others don't have mobile network, wireless is an important medium to communicate with field staff on issues like man-animal conflict, poaching, illicit felling etc. However, no efforts have been taken by head of forest force (HOFF) to obtain operating licence for all units under umbrella license in the name of PCCF, Maharashtra.