A sensitisation workshop on ‘wildlife crimes and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972’ for Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed along the India-Bangladesh border was organised by the Department of Forests and Environment, Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, East & West Garo Hills Wildlife Division of Meghalaya in collaboration with the BSF.
The workshop, held on February 7 last at the Kilapara (Dalu) BSF camp, was tailored for BSF personnel stationed along the Indo-Bangladesh border, a region where human-elephant conflict (HEC) often rear its head.
Two experts from Aaranyak, Hiten K. Baishya, Deputy Head of the Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD), and Ajoy Kumar Das, Senior Law Consultant of the Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) shed light on elephant conservation and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
With Kilapara (Dalu) BSF camp often caught in the crossfire of man-elephant conflicts, Baishya delved into elephant behaviour. The main goal of his lecture was to sensitise personnel working in elephant-prone border areas to avoid conflicts during sudden encounters with wild elephants. He emphasised on staying alert when roaming in elephant areas and shared tips to stay safe while also supporting conservation efforts.
He also explained a few low-tech but very useful measures which can be adopted to minimise the conflict situation without much supervision from the experts. His insights urged BSF personnel to step up as guardians of wildlife, reinforcing the joint mission of the Forest Department of Meghalaya and NGOs in the region.
On the legal front, Das, a practicing advocate at the Gauhati High Court, explained about wildlife crimes and illegal wildlife trade as outlined in the Wildlife Act. He drew a link between the Wildlife Act and the Border Security Force Act, 1968, emphasising their role in tackling cross-border wildlife offenses.
He also walked the audience through the Section 139(1) of the BSF Act and also the notifications passed under said provisions, clarifying its significance in wildlife law enforcement. Additionally, he outlined the legal dos and don’ts for BSF personnel when stumbling upon illegal wildlife trade, ensuring their actions stay within the law while helping to crack down on such crimes.
The event was attended by Inspector Simaha Chalam and Sub-Inspector Bhoora Singh of the BSF, along with S.B. Marak, Range Forest Officer of the East & West Garo Hills Wildlife Division among others.
