Equip Forest Guards to Protect Wildlife in India

Adverse conditions like lack of equipment, harsh living conditions and minimal training faced by the Front Line Forest Staff (FLFS) in India have long been a concern for the Wildlife Trust of India. WTI’s Van Rakshak Project (VRP) or Guardians of the Wild was implemented to address exactly these issues. The Project plays an important role in safe guarding India’s forests and the staff working for them through training, equipping and educating the front line forest staff. WTI has now trained over 15,000 FLFS in India.

The trainings are scheduled so that staff are initially given a first round of training and a year later, receive a refresher training course. This is so that the skills learnt in the first training are honed and also works as a confidence building exercise in their abilities.

Between August and September 2015, WTI’s team has given fresh and refresher training to 374 frontline forest staff of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Forest Department. These fresh and refresher trainings were for the staff of Bandhavgarh, Panna and Madhav National Parks of Madhya Pradesh and Indravati Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh. During the course of training, the participants underwent training on the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, of India and its various sections; anti-poaching and patrolling techniques; intelligence gathering; interrogation techniques; and preparation of Preliminary Offence Report (POR). The staff also received training on the identification of various species through their pugmarks, hoofmarks etc. Mock crime scene investigations were also held to train them in crime scene investigations.  The staff’s knowledge was evaluated through pre and post-test on the training module. WTI found an increase of knowledge of 17% amongst participants. 

Temporary labour often forms a large part of the FLFS. Although some states have instituted insurance schemes, FLFS in many states remain unprotected. This proves to be a major disadvantage and deterrent to these foot soldiers to conduct their daily duties with efficiency and commitment. To overcome this, WTI ventured into India's only supplementary accident insurance scheme, which brings all FLFS in the country under an insurance umbrella. WTI also provides financial support to the front line staff of PA's and to un-insured casual workers who die or get permanently disabled, while on duty.                        

In the last two months, WTI has received two claims under supplementary accidental insurance scheme. The first provided ex-gratia support to a daily labourer from Kanha Tiger Reserve) who was injured in road accident while on duty for his medical treatment. In another case, ex-gratia support was given to the widow of a forester from Kaziranga National Park), who died in an accident. WTI maintains a Protected Area Staff Status (PASS) data base of FLFS and have signed on more than 20,300 frontline staff to ensure that they benefit from this insurance scheme.

For the next quarter, VRP training will be conducted at Valmiki Tiger Reserve and Nagzira-Navegaon and Brahmapuri forest divisions. Both Bihar and Maharashtra trainings for 415 frontline forest staff will commence in November. In addition to those training programmes, WTI plan to conduct VRP training programmes in Assam and rest of the five circles of Madhya Pradesh, including Kanha, Pench and Satpuda Tiger Reserves.

Through Wildlife Crime Prevention trainings, WTI have trained and equipped frontline forest staff of over 120 PAs in India. WTI will continue strengthening wildlife-protection measures through capacity building and morale boosting of frontline forest staff.