Sniffer dog squads to track poachers

BHOPAL: Taking a cue from police, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has decided to raise sniffer dog squads to track down poachers.

"We have decided to raise sniffer dog squads in Madhya Pradesh to track down poachers," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), H S Pabla said.

The decision was taken by forest officials at a recent meeting, he said.

Pabla said they have started selecting forest employees for managing the dog squads, and added that the help of police and canine training academies to form the squads was also being sought.

"We are going to contact people running the canine breeding centres to purchase dogs," he said.

Each squad will have one dog and two persons, Pabla said adding that initially two dog squads will be raised and stationed in Katni and Itarsi, close to national parks and tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh.

These squads will frequently visit the state's two big and busy railway junctions and bus stands in Katni and Itarsi, he said adding that on intelligence inputs the teams will move to other places.

About the number of dog squads Madhya Pradesh forest department will raise, he said it will be too early for him to comment.