DEMWS under seious threat of‘illegal’ hunting

Pasighat, November 27, 2018:

The authorities of D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary (DEMWS) has heightened its vigilance and monitoring in the sanctuary in view of the alleged constant threat from hunters.

Observing the threat from hunters, Divisional Forest Officer, DEMWS, Tasang Taga directed his officials and field staff to keep vigilant on the possible intrusion by any hunter.

DFO Taga issued an executive order while serving copies to Gaon Burahs of all fringe villages of the sanctuary by sounding alert and caution from All India Radio and urged people not to hunt and trespass into the sanctuary.

Deputy Range Officer Orin Perme said, “We came across several salt-lick ambushes and destroyed it. However, no one was arrested during the surprise checking. The habitual hunters who are said to be frequently hunting inside the sanctuary are in our radar of observation and very shortly, they will be nabbed.”

As per DFO Taga, the sanctuary has only eight male field staff and eight women staff (all forester, forest guards and forest watchers) excluding the three RFOs to lead the three Ranges of DEMWS namely Borguli, Anchalghat and Sibiyamukh.

Taga added that the limited staff are unable to control all three porous ranges of the sanctuary.

“We have been repeatedly requesting and writing to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife & Biodiversity, Government of Arunachal Pradesh to replace the women staff with male staff with preference to younger and energetic newly recruited foresters, forest guards and forest watchers, who will be better in protecting the sanctuary,” added Taga.