Skip to content Skip to navigation

Enforcement training for KNP staff

In order to tackle low conviction rates in wildlife crimes in the country, the International Fund for Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) has initiated a pioneering training to facilitate accurate offense report filing.

"One of the major reasons for wildlife cases extending for years (or decades) or even offenders going scot-free is weak offense reports," said Vivek Menon, Executive Director - WTI and Regional Head - South Asia for IFAW. An offense report is the first report prepared by officials at the crime scene. "This forms the pillar on which an entire case is fought. If this foundation is weak, the entire structure turns against the prosecutor," he added.

The first 'Advanced Enforcement Training for Offense Report Writing' is being held in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department at Kaziranga National Park, under IFAW-WTI's Van Rakshak (Guardians of the Wild) Project. The ten-day training, beginning today, will see 15 frontline forest officials - 7 from Kaziranga National Park and 4 from Manas National Park, and 2 each from Pobitora and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The training is being carried out under the guidance of senior conservationist Mr Bhupendra Nath Talukdar. The training team comprises two senior lawyers, one public pleader, apart from IFAW-WTI staff.

"This training is very helpful and essential for our frontline staff. It is basically a skill-will combination which will enhance the conviction rate among the specially trained forest field officials while filing the offence report on any wildlife crime." said S K Seal Sarma, DFO, Kaziranga National Park, who was present at the inauguration at Bagori Range office.

It is to be mentioned here that the 'Advanced Enforcement Training for Offense Report Writing' initiated by IFAW-WTI is first of its kind in the conservation history of the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Kaziranga and Manas National Park.

"Our aim is to get a new range of trained professional forest officials who thoroughly investigate the crime scene and accurately document the offense report. We have selected the frontline staff those who have been actually doing offence report writing in their respective departments. So, with this long and intensive advanced training they will effectively implement it on ground. we are proud to host this in Assam," said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, IFAW-WTI Regional Head, adding that the state was selected considering "two of the organisation's critical projects - Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation and Greater Manas Conservation Project, which are based here."

Over the next ten days, the 15 forest officials will undergo intensive training on crime scene investigation, methods of seizures and arrest, Indian wildlife laws, their interpretation and effective use to prepare and file legally correct papers in court.

The Van Rakshak Project (VRP) builds capacity of India's frontline staff providing them appropriate training, and equipping them. Till date, over 13,000 in more than 130 of the country's protected areas have been trained on 'wildlife crime prevention' and equipped with field gear.

The project has also provided free insurance cover to 20,000 frontline staff in the country. Victims of accident or death on duty and their families receive up to 1,00,000 rupees under this unique scheme.

Comments

Susanta Kumar Sahoo's picture

Foresters and forest guards of odisha are facing a lot of problems in handling crimes in protection of forest and wildlife.so if better training would be imparted then it would be better.Thanks
Susanta Kumar Sahoo's picture

One forester sri Aswini kumar mahanty has been killed during trapping a timber mafia in Bargarh, of padmapur territorial division in odisha.A team of forest staff were raiding but the forester was striked and rolled over to death by his van in october 2014. Can you help his family...

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Suspected ULFA activists hurls grenade at Moran, no casualities

20 Aug 2007 - 7:02am | editor
Moran : Suspected ULFA activists hurled a bomb at Moran in front of Mahabir Bhawan under Moranhat PS. No casualities have been reported so far.

Fake chit fund company agent arrested

28 Jul 2016 - 8:28pm | Shajid Khan
At a time when chit fund companies are sealed for duping crores of public money and a strict tab are kept on functioning chit fund companies. Unscrupulous people are still duping common village...

Assam journo at UNEP Climate Change workshop

5 Dec 2012 - 3:08am | Syed Miraz Ahmed
Vernacular daily Asomiya Protidin journalist, Chandan Kumar Duarah was one among the participants of the UNEP Workshop held in Kathmandu recently. Titled: “Environment in Asia Pacific:...

Other Contents by Author

Semelangso F.C., one of the popular village football club adjacent to a vulnerable elephant corridor in Karbi Anglong won "The Elephant Cup" Football tournament 2015,  jointly organized by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC)  along with Assam Forest Department (AFD) in Karbi Anglong district of Assam on Monday afternoon, 2nd February 2015.All together 32 village football teams participated in the two-weeklong tournament in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.Semelangso F.C. won by 3-2 against Rongdo Ingti F.C. in the final match at Koilamati village in Karbi Anglong district yesterday.  WTI is organising...
In a successful rescue and rehabilitation operation by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)-Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)  run Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) team, a one and half-year-old elephant calf was reunited with its wild elephant herd at Borbhogia village, Kaliabor block, Nagaon district in Assam. The village is 85 kilometers away from Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), the wildlife care centre at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.Early morning on December 15, 2014, the MVS team was informed that an elephant calf was found alone surrounded by dogs in a swampy wetland. Scared of the dogs, the calf confined himself to a water body near the...
In continuation of the Manas Pride campaign, IFAW- WTI in association with the Department  of Forest and All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), Betbari, carried out an anti-poaching and encroachment campaign through ‘Human Chain’ formation at Betbari, Bhuyapara Range, Manas National Park. The awareness campaign was held on 29th November at the Fungbili ME School, Betbari.The two-day ‘Human Chain’/ Rally campaign saw participation of school children, WTI team, local NGOs, ABSU,  Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), AAVA (All Artist Visual Association) and representatives of the local community. The aim of the campaign was to highlight the massive encroachments at Bhuyapara Range of Manas...
To contain wildlife hunting by the tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) carried out an intensive training programme on alternative wildlife products at Pakke Tiger Reserve in Seijosa, Arunachal Pradesh. In partnership with the Department of Environment and Forests, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, the training aims to develop conservation entrepreneurship amongst the tribal communities for a safer future of the wildlife in the state. More than 25 participants, including 17 women from Seppa SHG, from East Kameng district, took part in the alternative wildlife product training in two phases at Pakke, which was completed last week. In 2004, WTI in...
A male rhino calf injured by a tiger was treated on Monday morning by the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation ( CWRC) MVS team. The calf approximately three months old was found today near Japori Gaon, a fringe village near Agoratoli Range of Kaziranga National Park.The male rhino calf had several tiger attack injury marks and was found lying in the backyard of a house adjacent to a paddy field.  Responding to the emergency call from Kaziranga Forest Authority of Assam Forest Department, the CWRC-MVS team of IFAW-WTI led by Dr. Panjit Basumatary reached to the spot and sighted the animal limping and unable to move properly. The team restrained the calf...
Nagaland's Wokha District has been bustling with excitement since the first batch of Amur falcons arrived in the Doyang Reservoir area last week. Upon the arrival of their special guests, the villagers of Ashaa, Pangti and Sungro once again reaffirmed their last year’s commitment and dedication to protect the falcons with the support of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Nagaland Forest Department.In their incredible journey, the Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), travel from Mongolia, roost in Nagaland for over a month before carrying onwards to the African sub-continent. A protected species under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), tens of thousands of these raptors congregate near...
Roing (Arunachal Pradesh), July 27, 2014: To motivate children for conservation and generate their empathy for wildlife, a day-long campaign was organised by the International Fund for Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district. The daylong event concluded with prize distribution function on Saturday,26th July 2014. The campaign was organised at Vivekananda Kendriya Vidyalaya (VKV), Roing, and saw a participation of over 400 students from classes VI to XII. Interactions were held with the children to inform them about wildlife. Activities including painting competition, quiz,...
Jaleswari Janata Sports Club won the prestigious Asian Elephant Football Tournament 2014 held at Kachugaon near Ripu Reserve Forest on Thursday (13th February 2014).The “Asian Elephant Football Tournament 2014” organised by IFAW-WTI  is an attempt to strengthen the links between the Forest department –Local Community-NGOs –Media, along with other like minded organisations and individuals to save the Asian elephants of  Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve of BTC.The final match of the Asian Elephant Football Tournament 2014 was played between Jaleswari Janata Sports Club VS Islampur Sports Club at Kachugaon in Bodoland on Thursday afternoon.Prabin Narzary of Jaleswari Janata SC...
With the aim of spreading awareness on the plight of Asian elephants and the need for their conservation, International Fund for Animal Welfare -Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has been organising a three-day long football tournament in Kochugaon of Bodoland in Assam. The football tournament was started on Tuesday (11th February 2014).The “Asian Elephant Football Tournament 2014” organised by IFAW-WTI  is an attempt to strengthen the links between the Forest department –Local Community-NGOs –Media, along with other like minded organisations and individuals to save the Asian elephants of  ...
Elephant Health Camp jointly conducted by IFAW-WTI and Manas National Park Authority inside  Manas National Park (MNP) on Wednesday, 29 January 2014. All together thirty nine (39) departmental captive elephants engaged in wildlife monitoring and patrolling duty were jointly investigated by the specialised veterinary team of IFAW-WTI along with veterinary team of Manas National Park.