Posers raised over non-arrest of poachers
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 15 2022:
Joint Coordination Committee on Wildlife & Biodiversity (JCCWB), a body of organisations working for protection of wildlife and nature, has demanded that the forest minister and the Forest Department explain as to why a gang of eight poachers who are very active in Keibul Lamjao National Park and whose names were revealed by one poacher Md Aslam, who was rounded up by Forest Department and CSOs with 11 kg of raw meat of Sangai deer on March 31, have not been arrested and punished till now.
JCCWB convener Romesh Ningthou-jam told news persons at the office of United Good Mission Manipur, Kongba Kshetri Leikai on Friday, that in the past Forest Department staff and Manipur Police led by forest minister Th Biswajit had carried out search operations using drones to nab poachers.
As such, why the same zeal can't be exhibited against poachers whose identities are known but have not surrendered despite summon served by the court concerned, he posed and opined that such defiance is direct challenge to the forest minister and the department.
Romesh bemoaned that if the poachers who are history-sheeters are not punished as per the law then they will continue to poach wildlife and may even cause extinction of Sangai and other animals, bringing shame to Manipur in front of the entire world.
Considering this, the government must arrest these poachers and give them appropriate punishment as per the law, he emphasised.
The press conference was also attended by United Good Mission Manipur president Syed Abdul Rahaman, JCCWB executives and members, it added.