With timber smuggling rampant in the forests of Nirmal district in Telangana, the forest department is on high alert at all times to protect the trees, and also the animals from poachers. To counter the challenges from smugglers and poachers, the department is implementing a lot of initiatives to preserve the 3,06,005.28 acres of notified forest land which is around 33.16% of the total geographical area of the district.
IFS officer Vikas Meena, who is currently posted as the District Forest Officer (DFO) of Nirmal, speaks to Indian Masterminds about how the forest department is striving hard to check timber smuggling and animal poaching in the area.
CONTROLLING TIMBER SMUGGLING
Nirmal forest produces one of the finest teakwood in the country and, also, caters to a part of Kawal Tiger Reserve, which is India’s 41st Tiger Reserve and the state’s second. The Tiger Reserve is endowed with rich biodiversity and is located in a strategic area forming a corridor to Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra.
Mr. Vikas Meena, who is also the Deputy Director of Kawal Tiger Reserve, told Indian Masterminds, “The major challenges we face are to control the timber smugglers, control of poaching as the area is rich in biodiversity, control of encroachment due to increase in anthropogenic pressures, forest fire management as the area is prone to forest fire during dry season, habitat management to increase prey base population etc.”
To control timber smuggling, the forest department has field staff who conduct regular foot patrolling daily. The officer said, “We have also established check posts at strategic location so as to stop smuggling of timber. We have around 14 base camps which are located deep inside the forest and the base camp watchers conduct regular patrolling and inspection. We also conduct surprise raids to seize illicit timber.”
Other than that, firelines are created and special teams deployed to take immediate action in case of forest fires during the dry season. The team usually receives an alert on their mobile app through Forest Survey of India.
USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY
The forest department of Nirmal is also using modern-day technologies to counter the challenges they are facing in the area. The M Stripes app is being used by the field staff, and it keeps track of the staff movement while conducting foot patrolling to monitor the wildlife and their habitat.
Mr. Meena has also initiated a pilot project under which the department has adopted drone technology for reforestation project, with application of 1000 seed balls of native forestry species per hectare of forest land.
Apart from this, drones are also being used for documentation and awareness generation, E-office is being implemented to save paper in offices, GIS software is being used for planning and forest management and CCTVs are being used to monitor all check posts.
TACKLING POACHING
Mr. Vikas Meena said that poaching of animals through electrocution was a big problem in Nirmal district as some illegal electric lines pass through the forest. “This was brought to the notice of Forest Protection Committee, and it was decided to conduct joint operations of officials of the police, excise, electricity, revenue and forest departments to remove illegal electricity lines and snares to prevent poaching.”
The officer also informed that special animal monitoring teams have been constituted to keep a close watch on the wildlife and their habitats.
