Himachal Pradesh Government has set up its first Forest Police Station - Van Thana - a specialised police station of the Forest Department, to check illegal activities.
Himachal Pradesh Government has set up its first Forest Police Station - Van Thana - a specialised police station of the Forest Department, to check illegal activities, including tree felling, in the forest areas of the state. The first forest Police Station has been set up at Chhaila in Theog sub-division of Shimla district which covers important forest areas in upper Shimla.
Himachal Pradesh has become the second state in the country after Madhya Pradesh to take this important initiative, a senior state government official told PTI here. The specialised Forest Police Stations would be set up in the Himalayan state to conserve its rich forest cover by taking effective preventive and punitive action against poachers of
forest produce and wildlife, HP Police Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Somesh Goyal said. He said that Himachal Pradesh Police has trained over three dozen forest officials in investigative skills, radio communication and use of fire arms.
Approximately two thirds of the States geographical area of 55,673 square km is under forest cover. Increased economic activity in the past decade has created substantial demand for forest produce and forest land has come under pressure from development of infrastructure, industry and residential needs, he added. Illegal activity to exploit the forest by organized mafia has been noticed which demanded a firm response from the law enforcement agencies, the officer said.
He said that a pilot project of "forest chowkis" (forest posts) involving joint efforts of the field staff in protecting the forest wealth on the lines of Madhya Pradesh model was launched in the State two years back in 2007-08. In the first phase five such police stations will be opened during the current year and then ten additional Van Thanas
will be established in the following year, Goyal said adding that besides checking illegal activities in the forest areas of the state the specialized police station will also be engaged in the normal developmental activities assigned to a forest official. He said that each Van Thana is designed to be fully equipped and staff of 10-12 forest officials with adequate mobility, radio communication and fire arms will be deployed.
The field of operation of these Thanas is to prevent and control illicit felling of trees, smuggling of forest produce, encroachment on forest lands and other forest offences. The forest officials draw their enforcement powers from the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and Wildlife Protection Act, he added. The spokesman said that in an era of specialization, it is hoped the provision of a dedicated law enforcement staff will yield better results.
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