Indore, February 09, 2015: Wildlife Trust of India’s (WTI) Van Rakshak Project (VRP) is organising training programme jointly with Madhya Pradesh Forest Department for the front line forest field staff in Ralamandal WLS, Madhya Pradesh, from February 9-11, 2015. Seven such VRP trainings have already been conducted for selected staff of different territorial, project and wildlife divisions at Kanha TR, Pench TR, Bandhavgarh TR, Madhav NP, Panna TR, Ratapani TR and Satpura NP during the month of November and December 2014.

File photo of VRP training in Panna Tiger Reserve.
Photo: Jeetender Kumar/WTI

The 8^th and last such training of this financial year is being held at Ralamandal WLS from February 9-11, 2015. The selected frontline field staff of various forest divisions under Indore and Ujjain circles and Ralamandal WLS would participate in the three-day training programme.

The training will have experts from WTI, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and legal fraternity as resource persons. “During the course of training, the frontline staff will learn about identification of animals based on secondary evidence (track & signs), biodiversity, wildlife forensic , Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972, CrPC, Indian Evidence Act , commercial poaching and trade in wildlife trophies, important local endemic species in illegal wildlife trade, methods of hunting and the relevant sections of dealing with wildlife crime as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, etc,” said Dr RP Mishra, Regional Head, Central India, WTI.

File photo of VRP training in Madahv National Park.
Photo: Yash Soni/WTI

The trainers will include Dr RP Mishra, Krishnendu Mondal, Advocate Yash Kumar Soni and Tapajit Bhattacharya. “The Forest Department is gaining a lot from such trainings being conducted by the WTI and we hope to have many more such trainings in the state in the future. Such trainings will certainly help in skill upgradation and capacity building of the front line forest staff in the field of wildlife crime prevention and ensuring conviction of poachers by the trial court,” claimed Shri Narendra Kumar, PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden, Madhya Pradesh.  

In a bid to equip and strengthen the frontline forest staff of the country, WTI has been conducting Wildlife Crime Prevention Training Programme under the VRP since 2001. VRP follows a multi-pronged strategy with four thrust areas abbreviated as TEAM: Training, Equipping, Awareness and Morale Boosting, to broadly facilitate capacity building and strengthen spirits of personnel in tough field circumstances. “Training in Madhya Pradesh for frontline field staff of territorial and Forest Development Corporation divisions along with the staff posted in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries is just another step in making our forests safer for wildlife,” said Suresh Chand, Senior Advisor, VRP, WTI.