KATHMANDU, Nov 1: Defense Ministry has given a nod to the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation´s request for deploying an additional 5,000 security personnel in various conservation areas. The move is aimed at strengthening measures against rising poaching activities. The Ministry is also “positive” about mobilizing the Nepal Army (NA) personnel inside the buffer zone area of the national parks.
Speaking to myrepublica.com, Defense Minister Bidya Devi Bhandari said, “The Ministry is positive about both the proposal and the government will soon take a decision in this regard.”
During her inspection visit to Chitwan National Park on Thursday, Minister Bhandari was briefed about the security situation and conservation need of the Park by the representatives from the Warden Office, the Nepal Army and the Chief District Officer.
Stating that the Defense Ministry was positive about the proposals that would put in place effective crime control mechanism in the country, she also reassured the local authorities of the government´s commitment to conservation.
Stressing on the need to strengthen the existing laws against poaching, especially the rising poaching in rhino horns and tiger skins, Bhandari is also learnt to have reiterated the government´s plan to formulate the much-talked about Wildlife Crime Control Bureau proposed by Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, NA, WWF and senior conservationists in the country.
“Minister Bhandari was briefed about the urgent need to increase the number of Nepal Army posts, to bring in new high-tech equipments to identify poaching sites and the resource crunch facing the Warden office,” an NA source told myrepublica.com, adding, “Army is ready to deploy its men whenever the government takes a decision as this will have a major psychological impact on the poachers.”
The Warden office is said to be under severe fund crunch and lack even communication equipments. The government is yet to sanction the budget for the parks. Moreover, during the briefing, the NA also drew the attention of the government toward the poor accommodation facility provided to its personnel at the sites.
In addition, the local representatives also submitted a memo to Bhandari requesting the government not to allow the seven parks and hotels inside the Park to re-open. “They strongly recommended for the closure of the parks inside the conservation area,” the NA source added.
The briefing was attended by district- level security chiefs, representatives of warden administration office, NA, National Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal Tourism Board and locals.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
