TRAFFIC/WWF partnership with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India and DEFRA in Madras

[Guest guest]

* *

 

*PRESS RELEASE*

 

 

 

 

 

*Wildlife Training Workshop for Enforcement Agencies Begins*

 

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*First Collaborative Effort of this nature between Wildlife Crime Control

Bureau, Govt. of India, DEFRA- Govt. of UK and TRAFFIC*

 

 

 

Chennai, 20TH August 2009

 

 

 

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Ministry of Environment and

Forests, Govt. of India and TRAFFIC India, with the support of DEFRA, Govt.

of UK launched a workshop on wildlife enforcement at the Tamil Nadu Police

Academy, Chennai. This training marks the beginning of new collaborative

effort between the Govt. of India, Govt. of UK and TRAFFIC, an NGO for

dissemination of knowledge and skills for combating wildlife crime across

the country.

 

This programme is being supported by DEFRA, the Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs of the Govt. of U.K., under the UK-India Sustainable

Development Dialogue (UK-India SDD) between the Governments of India and UK.

 

 

 

Over 30 officials from the Forest Department, Police, CISF, Customs and RPF

are attending this two day programme.

 

 

 

Inaugurating the workshop, Thiru R. Sundararaju, Chief Wildlife Warden and

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Govt. of Tamil Nadu said that this

multi agency training is the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu. He

congratulated the efforts of WCCB, DEFRA and TRAFFIC for providing the

opportunity to key enforcement agencies in Tamil Nadu to acquire skills for

combating the illicit wildlife trade.

 

Mrs Rina Mitra, Addditional Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau stressed

upon the significance of wildlife trade and the need of the present

training.. She hoped that this workshop will set the path for similar

programmes in future for sensitizing people and building the capacity of the

frontline staff in combating the wildlife crime. She commended the work of

the field staff present and emphasized upon building multi agency

collaboration to curb illegal wildlife trade.

 

 

 

Samir Sinha , Head TRAFFIC India described wildlife crime as a form of

organized Transnational Crime and the need of an organized response to such

crime. He talked about the regional and global reach of such crimes and the

need to continuously update skills and knowledge in meeting this challenge.

He also familiarized the participants with the training module.

 

 

 

Mr. Arif Hussain of DEFRA mentioned that this association of the three

agencies is of great significance for taking the battle against wildlife

crime to a new level. DEFRA is honoured to be part of this significant

programme and looks forward to working with Govt. of India and TRAFFIC in

taking this forward.

 

 

 

Other distinguished guests present on the occasion included Sri Arunachalam,

DIG, TN Police Academy, Mr. S. Narayanan, Deputy Director WCCB, and Southern

region, Dr. S.P. Goyal, Wildlife Institute of India and Mr. H.M. Jeyaram,

S.P. Training, Tamil Nadu Police Academy.

 

 

 

Resource material provided to the participants includes printed compendium,

CDs on various related themes and other books, posters etc. pertaining to

wildlife law and enforcement issues. A copy of Wildlife (Protection) Act,

1972, CRPC manual and a CD containing questions from the year 2004-07

pertaining to Wildlife raised in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have also been

provided to participants for easy and ready reference. During the course of

this workshop, a wildlife forensic sample collection kit developed jointly

by Wildlife Institute of India and TRAFFIC has been distributed to the

participants. The customized kit will enable the field staff to collect

samples for forensic analysis as per the prescribed protocols.

 

 

 

 

 

*Ends*

 

 

 

*About Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) MoEF, GOI*

 

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The Government of India constituted a statutory body, the Wildlife Crime

Control Bureau , in the Ministry of Environment and Forests on 6th June

2007, by amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, a special Act to

protect the wildlife in the country. The bureau would complement the efforts

of the state governments, primary enforcers of the Wildlife (Protection)

Act, 1972 and other enforcement agencies of the country. The Wildlife Crime

Control Bureau has its headquarters in Delhi and has a regional office in

Chennai.

 

 

 

*About DEFRA*

 

Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is a

Government Department in the UK. The overarching challenge for Defra is to

secure a healthy environment in which we and future generations can prosper.

 

 

 

 

*About TRAFFIC-India*

 

 

 

TRAFFIC is the world’s largest wildlife trade monitoring network and a joint

programme of WWF, the conservation organization and IUCN-the International

Union for Conservation of Nature. It was established in 1976 and since then

it has developed a considerable international reputation for helping to

identify and address conservation challenges linked to trade in wild animals

and plants.

 

In India, TRAFFIC carries out research and provides analysis, support and

encouragement to efforts aimed at ensuring that wildlife trade is not a

threat to conservation of nature in India. TRAFFIC-India works as a

programme division of WWF –India, the largest conservation organization in

India.

 

 

 

*For more information, please visit: www.traffic.org and

www.wwfindia.org/traffic or Contact: Mr. Samir Sinha, or Khalid Pasha

9810797349 and 011- 41504786/43516290.

 

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*Note*

Illegal wildlife trade is widespread globally, and is amongst the largest

criminal activities. The most commonly known products in illegal wildlife

trade in India are: Mongoose hair, snakeskin, Rhino horn, Tiger and Leopard

claws, bones, skins, whiskers, Elephant tusks, deer antlers, turtle shells,

musk pods, bear bile, medicinal plants, timber and caged birds such as

parakeets, mynas and munias.

 

 

 

Programme Officer

TRAFFIC India

WWF India Secretariat

172-B, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110003, India

Tel: +91-11-41504786, Fax: +91-11-43516200

Visit us at " www.traffic.org "

 

TRAFFIC- the wildlife trade monitoring network- is a joint programme of WWF

and IUCN-The World Conservation Union. It works to ensure that trade in wild

plants and animals is not a threat to conservation of nature.