The Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, on January 8, 2021 urged the government to arm forest officers and provide them with bullet-proof vests and vehicles.
- The Centre should consider involving premier organisations such as the CBI to help the forest staff.
- There should even be a separate wing or wildlife division in the Enforcement Directorate with clean officials to track and investigate crimes of the poachers and the proceeds of their crime. The amounts involved are huge and justify the formation of a separate wing by the ED
Reasons behind Supreme Court order
- India recorded the “greatest number of mortal fatalities” among forest officials in the world.
- India accounted for 30% of fatalities among forest rangers in the world.
- Forest officials were up against a very powerful force.
- Proceeds of crime are in millions of dollars. This is an international crime.
- The pangolin skin trade extended to China.
- The CJI pointed out how forest rangers in Assam were armed and “no one dares come near them.
- In States like Madhya Pradesh, they roam around with lathis.
- In Karnataka, forest guards are in chappals and carry just lathis. In these States, forest guards are slapped around by poachers.
(Source: The Hindu)
