Extra vigil proposed in Edamalayar forest

K.S. Sudhi
The Hindu, July 7, 2015 
KOCHI

With a three-day-long combing operation exposing the loopholes in the wildlife protection network, the Forest Department will soon step up wildlife protection activities in Malayattoor Forest Division, where five elephants were gunned down by poachers.

It has been suggested to establish 14 camps inside the inaccessible forest terrains of Malayattoor Forest Division. This would enable the field staff to go deep into the forest and ensure maximum protection for wildlife, said Vijayanand, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayattoor.

The proposal to step up the vigil forms part of the recommendations drawn up after the conclusion of the combing operations along the Malyattoor-Chalakkudi-

Vazhachal forest divisions. The confessional statement of an assistant of a poaching group had send jitters across the forest department. Three forest officials were suspended following the revelation and one poacher was arrested in this connection.

Five bone samples have been brought out of the forest for forensic analysis. No new carcass or bones could be identified during the combing operation, said Mr. Vijayanand. The two persons, who were taken into custody in relation to the case, were earlier taken to the reported sites of hunting. The three-day operation carried out by 23 teams, which covered around 500 sq km, concluded late on Sunday night. Suneel Pamidi, Divisional Forest Officer, Chalakkudi Forest Division, said no signs of poaching could be identified in the division during the search operations.

Meanwhile, green campaigners have raised the demand for an investigation by a central agency into the incidents of poaching as they believed that international wildlife traders were involved in the incidents. M.N. Jayachandran, State president of the Prakithi Samrakshana Vedi, demanded a CBI investigation into the incidents. He demanded that the status of the nearly 150 sq.km. area of unprotected forest area of the Division should be enhanced by declaring it as a wildlife sanctuary. John Peruvanthanam, chairman of the Western Ghats Protection Council, said there was information that wildlife trade was taking place through Kochi.