Rain, illegal farming posing danger to GIB habitat

  • 20/08/2015

  • Times Of India (Jaipur)

Jaisalmer: Heavy rains in Jaisalmer and illegal farming, especially at Desert National Park (DNP) and other areas where Great Indian Bustard (GIB) roam freely, are creating problem for the newly born godawans and other wildlife. Recently, DNP's two special teams arrested two youths engaged in illegal farming in the park and seized the tractor used for farming. DNP deputy conservator of forest Anoop KR said that, "in DNP, including Ramdeora satellite area, two new godawans were born and have started growing up. The female godawan is not visible and there is a strong possibility that she is sitting on eggs and new godawans are going to come out. Looking to this, a ban has been put on roaming of any person in DNP and even forest rangers and officers are not coming. A few villagers are farming in DNP area due to which godawan and other wildlife, especially those that live underground, are in danger". He said there is a ban on farming in DNP area and despite that villagers are violating the rules. To control this, two patrol parties of rangers have been made who patrol for 24 hours and keep vigil in DNP. During patrolling, two rangers saw that just 3km away from Sudasari in DNP area, in Mata area at Jugat Ki Dhani, two farmers Bhagwan Singh and Shivdan Singh had sown seeds by tiling 200 bighas of land. When the patrol party tried to stop them, they ran away. They left behind the tractor, on which the patrolling party with the help of Khuhadi police arrested the culprits from their houses. The forest department has lodged a case against Bhagwan and Shivdan at Khuhadi police station under sections 447, 353 of IPC and section 3 of PPP Act. Police are investigating the case. There is a provision for penalty of Rs 25,000-51,000 and three years' imprisonment for illegal farming in the area under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Anoop said.