BHUBANESWAR: Sleuths of Mahanadi Wildlife Division have arrested two poachers from Baisipalli Sanctuary. Meat of a barking deer and bikes were seized from their possession. The poachers were identified as Mahendra Mallik of Talabari (a village located within the sanctuary) and Ghadu Pradhan of Madhyakhand.
On a tip-off from informers, officials of Mahanadi Division tracked down the poachers by alerting the patrolling camps inside the sanctuary. The two were arrested and produced before a court after investigation. Permanent and temporary camps with VHF sets have been set up in all vulnerable points of Baisipalli and Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary. Patrolling squads have also been assigned for collection of information on poaching.
DFO AnshuPragyan Das said, measures have been taken to raise awareness on conservation of forest and wildlife and rehabilitation of regular poachers. Road connectivity to villages is being upgraded as lack of communication has been a long pending grievance. Administrations of both Nayagarh and Boudh districts are also working in tandem with Forest Department for electricity connection to the village clusters. “We are also holding grievance redressal meetings every month in every cluster to build confidence of people in vulnerable pockets of sanctuary where anti-social movements are marked. Regular payments and distribution of compensation of crop damages by wild animals is also done in public meetings,” Das said.
