Guest guest Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090504/jsp/jharkhand/story_10913385.jsp Spot elephant poachers, win cash prize - Forest department plans slew of measures in three districts to check ivory smugglingKUMUD JENAMANI Jamshedpur, May 3: The job of tracking tusker poachers could not have been more rewarding. Literally. The state forest department is planning to bestow cash prizes on those who will be able to provide specific information about elephant hunters and ivory smuggling in the forests of East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan. The reward forms a part of the slew of measures that the department has decided to take to check poaching in the command area of Project Elephant. As per the proposal, a contingency fund of Rs 1 lakh will be set up to give the rewards. But details are yet to be chalked out. The other suggestions include employing trackers for every lone tusker that is susceptible to poaching and setting up of check-dams in core and buffer areas of the forest to monitor the movement of the animals. S.R. Natesh, the divisional forest officer of Saranda, is said to have recommended these proposals. A final nod from the state is awaited. “Steps like introducing rewards for informers and employing trackers have become inevitable considering the rampant poaching of elephants. Trackers, who will be hired on a daily-wage basis, will be given cellphones so that they can inform us about poachers,” Natesh said. “There will be two categories on which cash rewards will be given — specific information about poachers and ivory collected by smugglers,” he added. While there are about 85 elephants in Dalma wildlife sanctuary in Seraikela-Kharsawan and East Singhbhum, elephant population in Saranda, Porhat, Kolhan and South Chaibasa forest divisions in West Singhbhum is pegged at 125. Natesh said that South Chaibasa forest division currently has five lone tuskers and Saranda one. There is no data available about the lone tuskers in Porhat and Kolhan forest divisions. In the past year, four tuskers were found dead in Saranda and South Chaibasa forest divisions. As the tusks and jaws of the animals were missing, it was easy to understand that it was the work of poachers. -- http://www.stopelephantpolo.com http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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