July 8: The Orissa government is struggling hard to protect endangered wildlife from poachers backed by Maoists in Naxal-hit Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district in the absence of the promised Central paramilitary forces. At a meeting between Central and state representatives in May, the government had agreed to deploy 221 CRPF personnel in the reserve which has been facing acute infrastructural and staff problem due to a Naxal attack on March 23. Fearing that Naxalites might hit again, the Orissa government had sought CRPF deployment in the tiger reserve housing at least 32 wild cats. The state government cited threats from poachers which it alleged are getting support from the heavily-armed extremists. However, Orissa forest officials maintained that though the Centre has agreed to their demand and referred the matter to the ministry of home affairs, the state is still waiting for the force. Forest staff, who had run away after the Maoists attack, are gradually joining duty and two special striking force units of Armed Police and Special Operation Group Force have already been posted in the park, but officials said they are not sufficient to make the reserve secure. Forest officers said there are reports that poachers are getting support from the Maoists and forest authorities are not ruling out that Naxals might strike again. State chief secretary A.K. Tripathy had in a letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority said that since the Special Task Protection Force (STPF) was yet to be constituted, therefore, the CRPF battalion would keep poachers at bay. In view of the dwindling tiger population, STPF, a force on the line of Indian reserve battalion, has been proposed to exclusively cater to the protection of the endangered species in re-serves across the country.