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Sanjay Gandhi National Park to track its guards to ensure intensive patrolling

After slew of poaching-related incidents, national park on alert

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Five people have been arrested in connection with Film City poaching case
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Under fire after the shocking revelation that a sambar fawn was killed for meat inside the protected area of Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Goregaon, the park's officials have decided to enhance and monitor patrolling at the park.

The fawn is suspected to have been killed by one of the accused people caught in connection with the Film City poaching case.

SGNP officials said they would not only carry out disparate investigations, but were also taking a slew of measures to make SGNP poaching-free.

"While we are planning to seek the remand of the accused who has confessed to killing a sambar fawn so we can interrogate him, we will also re-open old cases of suspicious animal deaths to see if there are any links with this case, and find leads," said Anwar Ahmed, the chief conservator of forest (CCF) and director of SGNP.

Senior SGNP officials also hinted that they planned to seek information of all the licensed arms being procured around SGNP and also check if any ammunition has been acquired by the tribal hamlets in the park.

While several questions have also been raised about laxity in patrolling the sprawling SGNP, which has encouraged the movement of suspicious elements inside protected areas, Ahmed clarified that while patrolling is being done, they are also taking help of technology to make it more effective.

"We have already procured devices that will be given to every guard deputed across SGNP premises. With the help of a software, we will be able to keep a track of how much patrolling is being done, which will help us increase the efficiency of the exercise," he said.

The park director also said that given that so many snares have been found so close to SGNP, "we are also planning to fix a certain range of kilometres that needs to be covered during a particular hour by a guard.

A wildlife expert said that recent incidents of poaching inside SGNP and areas of Film City were not surprising. "The forest department has been ignoring several warnings despite leopards going missing, snares being found and all kinds of people entering restricted areas, including Tulsi lake and others. This makes the wildlife unsafe," said the activist.

ARMS CHECK

  • Senior SGNP officials hinted that they planned to seek information of all the licensed arms being procured around SGNP 
     
  • The authorities would also check if any ammunition has been acquired by the tribal hamlets in the park
     
  • These efforts come as part of a string of steps to  ensure that SGNP is poaching-free
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