Indian Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

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http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=34819

 

WILDLIFE CRIME CONTROL BUREAU HEADQUARTERS BEGINS TODAY

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*17:34 IST * The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau need to combine visibility

as well as invisibility into its performance. Inaugurating the office

premises of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Headquarters today Ms. Meena

Gupta, Secretary, Environment & Forests further elaborated that visibility

is required to create awareness among people on two accounts one have to

access the Bureau in time to need and second to educate them about damage to

our wildlife and our heritage. Ms. Gupta expressed the hope that this will

be a good beginning for very effective measures, if not to stop, to minimize

wildlife crimes and to reduce smuggling of illegal trade of wildlife. She

said dangers to wildlife come from borders so the Bureau has to be more

vigilant at these areas. Ms. Gupta said today we realize that Government

cannot do everything but Government can become very effective if we tie up

with other organizations and sharing information with others. She suggested

to have good network with private sectors State Governments and other

Government bodies to reduce crimes in wildlife. The Secretary suggested to

install a hotline so that people can access the Bureau in time of need.

 

A manual for enforcers on Red Sanders, a tree species that is endemic to

southern India, listed on Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

was released by Shri P. R. Mohanty, Director General of Forests and Special

Secretary to Government of India on the occasion.

 

The field forensic facility at Bureau Headquarter displayed the scientific

identification of Shatoosh fibre, a banned wildlife fibre of " Chiru " - a

tibetan antelope, other goat fibres which are commonly used, banned

gastropod shells and some of their products traded; tiger, leopard fur,

hair, claw identification and their fakes; some of the endangered medicinal

plants like Kuth roots, Sarpgandha; ivory and bone articles; some of the

endangered marine species; and the identification manuals on Mollusca

(shells), Fishes, Reptiles and Amphibians.

 

The bureau, a multidisciplinary agency consisting of officials from forests,

police and revenue (customs ¢ral excise) would aim for inreased awareness

amongst the international tourists to reduce demand for the wildllife and

its products. As part of the strategy for a coordinated universal action in

combating organized crime, strengthening of the enforcement at the

international trade exit points would get emphasis as the major demand for

the wildlife and its products lies in overseas markets. It is also mandated

to advise policy changes, if any, based on the information/data on crime and

criminality.

 

The Cabinet approved the constitution of the Tiger and Other Endangered

Species Crime Control Bureau on 31.6.2007. (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau),

based on the enabling provisions made in the Wild Life (Protection) Act,

1972. This was is one of the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.

 

On this occasion several senior officials of the ministry along with the

Members of the Advisory Group were present. They were Shri S.C Dey, Global

Tiger Forum; Shri Vivek Menon, Wildlife Trust of India; Shri Sanjay

Upadhyaya, Enviro-Legal Service; Shri Kartick Satyanarayan, Wildlife SOS;

Shri Samir Sinha , TRAFFIC India. Shri Nitin Desai, Wildlife Trust of India,

could not attend this function. I.G. Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Wardens of

Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh who are also members of this

Advisory Group attended the function. Director General and Special Secretary

P.R. Mohanty is also member of this group. There is also representation from

Narcotics Control Bureau, CBI and National Tiger Conservation Authority.

 

*KP/Hb*