Forest officials accountable for wildlife deaths: Minister

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government said Forest department officials will be held accountable for the deaths of elephants and tigers in the State.

Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia announced this while addressing the Divisional Forest Officers’ (DFO) conference here on Wednesday.”The death of elephants, the killing of tigers and eating their meat is distressing for the people of our State. For this, the forest officials at the top, along with the lower-ranking employees, will be held accountable,” the minister said.

The minister’s statement was significant in the backdrop of the deaths of three elephants due to electrocution in Sambalpur district on Monday and the killing of a leopard in Nuapada district on Tuesday.He said a balance needs to be maintained between forest and wildlife habitats while approving forest land for development works.

“It is essential to find a solution to the problem of elephant-human conflict. Compassionate assistance, compensation for crops should also be given immediately,” he said.Referring to the allegations of huge crop loss due to elephant menace in some parts of the State, the minister said there is a need to solve the problem of crop damage by monkeys also.

Alternative livelihoods for the people living around the forests, especially the tribals, can be secured through horticulture, fishing, poultry farming, beekeeping, fruit plantation, involvement in ecotourism and other such activities.”Forest protection can be done in partnership with them,” the minister said.

Noting that the DFOs have a big role to play in the protection of forests and wildlife, the minister said allegations of corruption are being made in the plantation programme, which is tarnishing the image of the Forest department.”Our government has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption. Corruption and indiscipline will never be tolerated. Therefore, forest officials need to be vigilant. Extensive field visits should be made by all the forest officials at the top,” he said. The Additional Chief Secretary of Forest, Environment and Climate Change department, Satyabrat Sahu, said the forest area has increased in the State due to the efforts of forest officers.”The forest officers should make sincere efforts to reduce elephant deaths. They should take specific steps in consultation with the district collectors and SPs to reduce elephant deaths,” Sahu said.