he residents have been fined and further investigations are on to check whether they were involved in poaching
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Chennai: In the last 15 days, Kancheepuram foresters have booked four Chennai-based residents for carrying rifles and country made guns inside the protected Chengalpet forests. The residents have been fined and further investigations are on to check whether they were involved in poaching.
“On August 8, near Sirukundram forest area our night patrol rounded up Saligramam based resident T. S. Prabhakaran along with eight friends. We booked them for carrying rifle and bullets inside the Anjur forest,” says Chengalpet forest ranger A. Gopu.
Similarly, on Independence Day there was another group camping inside the forest with a double-barrel gun and bullets. Royapettah-based Syed Munir Hussain was booked and fined. Ranger Gopu added that in total two cases were registered and 11 people booked. After investigation, a Rs 4 lakh fine was imposed on the violators.
As investigations revealed that both were first time offenders only a fine was imposed, the official said. “We were unable to seize their weapon as they were possessing license to carry arms. The forest range office will write to the city police Commissionerate seeking cancellation of their weapon licences,” he added.
In a related development, district forest officer Ritto Cyriac had passed orders to all field guards and rangers to intensify night patrol, vehicle checks and monitor resorts, farm houses located close to protected areas.
“People with high end cars, possessing weapon licence entering forests areas has been there and based on the intelligence tip off, we have instructed all district forest officers to enhance patrol and night survey”, said a senior forest department official. But the two recent cases near Chennai are a surprise. Usually it is the gypsies who target small wild mammals in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram district, explained the official.
“In the case of sanctuaries and tiger reserves, there are strict rules with better patrolling systems. Similarly, there is a need to enhance patrolling in reserve forests and their adjoining buffer zones,” the official added.
As per Wildlife Protection Act sections 9, 31 and 32 prevented entry of persons with weapons and injurious substances. And if the offenders continued their offence, they could be remanded and punished with imprisonment up to three years, wildlife enthusiast and advocate Santhana Raman said.
“People entering restricted forests with country made guns have been a menace for our forests ever since the colonial period. Such drives are the need of the hour and will prevent incidence of poaching and illegal activities in protected forest areas, opined K. V. R. K. Thirunaranan, founder, Nature Trust.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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