'Bio-diversity hit by ignorance, low income of forest people'

BARIPADA (ODISHA): Ignorance coupled with dwindling income level of people living in the fringe areas of forests, has put enormous pressure on the balance of biodiversity, deputy director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Abhijit Roychowdhury, said here today.

Roychowdhury said this while addressing a seminar on sensitisation on prevention of wildlife crime and role of panchayatiraj institutions of the buffer villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve.

He said tribal people were being instrumental in protection of nature which was considered as an example across the globe.

"But ill conceived and preplanned poaching going on in protected forests and sanctuaries have impacted the growth of population of wildlife," he said.

Panchayatiraj institutions present in fringe areas of Similipal Tiger Reserve should play a vital role in persuading the villagers to refrain from poaching, asserted the deputy director of WCCB.

WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body set up by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests to combat organized wildlife crime in the country.