Jamshedpur, April 10 : The East Singhbhum district administration and forest department have worked out a joint strategy to prevent the tribals from hunting animals in the Dimna forest during the Sendra festival on April 23.
Nearly 700 tribals from Jharkhand, Bengal and Odisha will gather at the Dalma hills for celebrating Sendra, making the forest department plan elaborate security measures for saving wild animals from falling prey to tribals.
The forest department will also request the South Eastern Railways (SER) to maintain vigil on trains coming from Odisha and Bengal.
Dalma divisional forest officer CMP Sinha said there will be high security arrangements to save the lives of animals inside the sanctuary.
The DFO said they are also writing a letter to DRM, Chakradharpur division to conduct checks on tribals from Bengal and Odisha travelling without tickets. � We have framed a strategy that will prevent influx of outsiders to Dalma. It is found that some of the tribals from Bengal and Odisha carry firearms for celebrating Sendra,� he added.
�Since last few days we have been extensively carrying out awareness drive among the tribals in particular, and villagers at large to minimise the threat to the wildlife and we are confident that our efforts will bear positive result,� said, a forest officer.
About 82 villages that fall within the Dalma forest jurisdiction a majority have acceded to the forest department official�s word besides, the eco club members who largely played the role on behalf of the forest department in convincing the villagers about the implications of killing animals too are confident of �no loss of life� in the jungles of Dalma on the Sendra day.
�Basically, the youths in large number take part in the Sendra festival and this time we have achieved some degree of success in convincing them about the legal consequences they are likely to invite by disturbing the ecology,� noted, Kartik Mahato, member eco club, Sugendih village, Patamda block.
The nine locations identified for check-points are Devgarh, Dhalbhumgarh, Pipla, Patamda, Paridih Kali Mandir and two places each in Bhadudih and Bahragora.
Besides, deployment of magistrates has also been sought to ensure effective implementation of the preventive measures.
“We are also conducting awareness campaign in villages surrounding Dalma sanctuary to enlighten the tribals on ways to observe the festival peacefully,” said a forest ranger of the district.
