The Hindu,July 6, 2015
KOCHI
Senior forest officials said around 150 sq km of thick forest areas
bordering the Malayattoor-Vazhachal divisions remain exposed with hardly
any protection measures in place. These stretches are beyond the reach
of forest protective officials. Perambulation is not possible in these
areas. The area where the poaching reportedly took place is around 18 km
inside the Edamalayar forest. The terrain is inaccessible too, said an
official.
The carcasses of elephants were found in the Karivani and Edamalayar
areas. It was inferred that a two-year-old calf and four sub-adults of
age up to 25 years were shot dead by the poachers. A group of forest
officials who returned after the combing operations in the forest area
have brought with them available carcass samples for DNA analysis. This
is to determine the age and sex of the slain animals. Though the animals
were suspected to be shot dead by the poachers, bullets were not found
near the carcass. Metal detectors were used to scan the area to find
metal parts of bullets, said an official who took part in the combing
operations.
Resource mobilisation
The confessional statement by one of the members of the poaching team
has been followed up with a massive mobilisation of men and resources in
the forest area. Around 250 officials, split into several teams, have
been deployed for combing operations. They are expected to return after
ending the four-day operation on Monday, officials said.
A senior official said the beat system of patrolling, which was earlier
called off, had thrown open the forest areas to poachers. Perambulation
along the Malayattoor-Munnar-Chalakkudi and Chimmini forests needed to
be strengthened in the background of recent developments, he said
John Peruvanthanam, chairman of the Western Ghats Protection Council,
demanded steps to confiscate the nearly 7,000 illegal country-made guns,
mostly held by poachers. He alleged that nearly 90 elephants had been
killed during the last decade in the region. Many cases were written off
as accidental deaths. There were no protection measures in many
sensitive forest areas, he said.
Reviewing the situation, B.S. Corrie, Chief of Forest Force, said the
beat system of patrolling and intensive perambulation would be restored.
Discussions have been initiated to adopt scientific conservation and
protection measures. Modern conservation measures such as e-patrolling,
which is being tried out in Wayanad and Periyar areas, would be
considered, he said.
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