New Delhi: The local courts in Haridwar and Dehradoon, both cities that are on the fringes of Rajaji National Park, hear a large number of cases under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WPA). However, a large number of forest officials (foresters, rangers and wardens) felt that the judges were not sensitized to wildlife issues and these cases often tended to be overlooked.

This was one of the issues that was avidly discussed during the two-day intensive workshop of legal issues organized by the Wildlife Trust of India’ s Van Rakshak Project in Dehradoon on November 2 and 3. But the major problem that was highlighted during the training was that many of the forest staff, including the public prosecutors, were unaware that the WPA had enough powers vested with forest staff to take action against poachers, without depending on the other Acts such as the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) or the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

During the discussions, WTI’s legal consultant, Mr. Sudhir Mishra, read out the sections under the Wildlife (Protection) Act that gave these powers to the forest staff and helped them understand their powers better.

The legal workshop was part of WTI’s anti-poaching training for forest field staff, which is attended by the senior field staff while the junior field staff undergo a general anti-poaching course usually conducted in their local range offices. The topics in the general training include searching a crime scene, patrolling the jungle and some legal aspects that every field staff should be aware of. The workshop is being funded by WTI’s partner organization, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The legal workshop was held at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradoon and was attended by some Indian Forest service (IFS) officers who are currently attending a diploma course at WII. The presence of the IFS officers was a huge morale booster to the staff as two of the officers belonged to the Uttaranchal cadre, the state in which the park is located.

The Van Rakshak training at Rajaji was held in phases up to November 11 to cover all the eight ranges of the park, including Dholkand, Chilla, Chillawale, Motichur, Ramgarh, Kansrao, Haridwar and Ghori.. The physical boundaries of Rajaji National Park cover 840 sq km and are home to one of the largest elephant populations in north India. The park also has large herds of cheetal and sambar deer but smaller numbers of tigers, leopards and goral. Poaching, as well as timber felling and cattle grazing, are major problems for the park.

Of a total frontline staff of 208, as many as 192 underwent the anti-paocinh training and were given a comprehensive anti-poaching kit, including a sleeping bag, a rucksack, a torch, a cap, a ground sheet, a rain suit and fabric to stitch uniforms.