REEMA LOKESH – Mumbai
 |
| Anjana Gosain |
Tiger Trust, a national non-governmental organisation (NGO), based in New Delhi is working extensively in the area of clamping down poachers in various parts of the country which also include Assam. In September 2011 the team conducted a focussed Legal Training Programme on Wildlife Crime for the Forest Department Government of Assam, which was aimed to arrest the issue of poaching in the region.
In an exclusive with Express TravelWorld, Anjana Gosain, functionary officer, Tiger Trust said, “We are a very focused group and we conduct capacity building programmes to tackle the issue of poaching in some parts of the country. We have worked in Assam and have definitely been effective in building awareness of the issue and provide solutions for the same.”
She added, “We provide guidance and legal training on prosecuting wildlife crimes. We train the forest staff on how to successfully prosecute poachers who are involved in killing of animals, encroachments, trespassing, illegal entry, etc.”
The NGO has in total conducted six capacity building programmes with the seventh one in progress in the North East. Work has been conducted in Kaziranga, Manas as well as Guwahati. Training programmes are scheduled for over two days and those who hold the rank of forester up to divisional forest officers (DFOs) are involved in the programme. She further added, “I feel there is so much more to achieve as the conviction rates are very low at the moment. But I feel the beginning has been made and since the time we started in 2009 there has been a steady progress in this area. We are keen to train more forest staff to successfully prosecute these poachers and pass on a strong message so that others do not follow these unethical practices and serves as a deterrent.”
Tiger Trust was started in 1989 by Kailash Sankhala, Padma Shree, founder director of Project Tiger, Government of India.
