Greater Manas (Bodoland, Assam): Recently equipped with facilities to improve communication between forest camps, frontline staff in the remote Chirang Reserve Forest, carried out four successful operations against poachers and encroachers over the past month.
A total of 27 persons were apprehended, including a minor, in four different instances – two of poaching and two involving encroachment and tree-felling. All accused have been remanded to judicial custody, except the minor who was handed over to his guardians.
Chirang Reserve Forest is a part of the Greater Manas landscape – a biodiversity hotspot in northeast India. Supporting at least 24 species of mammals including the rare clouded leopards, elephants, and even tigers and over 270 species of birds, Chirang forms the west-end buffer to Manas Tiger Reserve.
In December 2011, the International Fund for Animal Welfare – Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) had provided support to equip all of the seven forest camps in Chirang RF with solar chargers, at the request of Ramesh C, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Haltugaon, within whose jurisdiction Chirang RF falls.
“The solar chargers were a necessity for our staff living in these remote forest camps. There is no other source of electricity there, mainly to charge communication devices and other equipment used during patrolling in Saralpara, Ultapani, Khungring, Khalasi, Jharbari, Digli and Bishmuri areas in the Reserve Forest,” said Ramesh.
The support was provided as a Rapid Action Project through the Greater Manas Conservation Fund (GMCF), as part of IFAW-WTI’s long-term commitment to assist the Forest Department and the Bodoland Territorial Council to conserve the landscape.
“The hardship faced by the frontline staff here exemplifies those for many areas across the country. Despite this they continue about their duties with a dedication that could put the most sincere of us to shame,” said Radhika Bhagat, Assistant Manager, WTI. “Such support not only helps the guardians of the wild in their responsibilities, but also significantly helps build their morale through expression of our solidarity.”
Strengthening the anti-poaching apparatus of Greater Manas by capacity-building of the frontline staff and empowering community-based organisations is among the priority mandates of the GMCF.
“GMCF is a landscape level undertaking that evolved from our ‘Bring back Manas’ initiative, which culminated last year in the reinstatement of Manas National Park as the UNESCO World Heritage,” added Bhagat.
IFAW-WTI’s work in Manas began in the early 2000s, with research to generate the crucial baseline data immediately after peace was restored following the civil unrest.
Since then, diverse conservation initiatives have been implemented to revive the landscape through a holistic approach. These also include promotion of green livelihoods, awareness generation, and pioneering initiatives like the reintroduction of rhinos in Manas, with three hand-raised orphans being released here since 2006.
