120 cops come to rescue as Similipal battles staff crunch

BHUBANESWAR: Days before the cease work of non-gazetted forest service association, the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) is struggling to get forest staff for field work, forcing authorities to rope in 120 police personnel and 100 forest staff from neighbouring divisions to keep an eye in the core areas and other vantage points.
The non-gazetted forest service association has decided to go on strike from July 10 demanding safety, security and welfare of forest staff following the recent deaths of two of their colleagues at the hands of poachers.But many have started moving out of STR even before the start of cease work. As many as 600 protection assistants (contractual field staff) have vacated the reserve, while more than 100 forest guards have stopped field work even as they stay put in their places of posting.
Since the forest personnel know Similipal's topography, they will assist the police personnel during patrolling.
'Joint patrolling in Similipal will keep poachers at bay'
Three platoons of police force from Baripada have been deployed at vantage points as per requirement. "At this juncture it is important to restore the lost confidence of the forest force. Also, joint patrolling will help keep the poachers at bay and generate fear in their mind," said IGP (eastern range) Himanshu Lal.
Forest staff (those not on strike) from Karanjia, Rairangpur and Baripada divisions have also been asked to join duty at Similipal to help tide over the staff crunch.
Similipal field director Prakash Gogineni, however, said, "With close to 300 field staff present along with police force, there shouldn't be any issue pertaining to patrolling and routine field duty. The police personnel will stay in camps that have been set up."
Earlier, police said they would train the forest personnel on how to handle guns and help bring out a SOP on ways to deal with confrontational situation while patrolling.