Monday, March 20, 2023
Forest department, Army to jointly check wild animal movement
SNS, SILIGURI, 20 MARCH 2023 : The Army and the forest department have decided to conduct joint aerial surveillance to check the presence of wild animals around the field firing range of the Army. The decision follows the recent death of three elephants near the Teesta Field Firing Range adjacent the Saraswatipur forest under the Baikunthapur forest division. Forest department officials said surveillance cameras will also be installed in high masts.
Senior forest department officials have said the autopsy on the dead elephants had found "splinter injuries" in their carcasses. They said one of the female elephants had been pregnant.
Senior officials led by the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, North, Ujjwal Ghosh, met Army officials in a meeting at Sukna near Siliguri today.
"The meeting was fruitful. Decisions have been taken on some short-term and long term measures on how to avoid such incidents. Both the forest department and the Army will jointly conduct drone surveillance to check the movement of wild animals, and cameras will be put up in high masts to strengthen effective monitoring," Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, and Chief Wildlife Warden Dobai Roy said.
Conservationists and wildlife activists have advocated for a joint mechanism of foresters and the Army to save wildlife.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, North, Rajendra Jakhar, and Chief Conservator of Forests, northern circle, SK Moley, also represented the forest department in the meeting.
"The Army regretted the death of the three elephants,' a forest department source said. "An officer in the rank of brigadier, two colonels were present on behalf of the Army. The forest department and the Army will make a joint inspection around the shooting range within a few days," the source said.
The carcass of a 12-year old tusker was found in the Saraswatipur forest under the Baikunthapur forest division on 14 March. The carcasses of two more female elephants were found at Targhera and Seventh Mile the next day.
"All three animals had sustained splinter injuries," a senior forester said.
The Army has claimed that no elephant was killed in shelling during their practice sessions at the firing range.
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