HT Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, Feb 10: In a significant move to enhance wildlife protection efforts, 27 investigating officers from six forest divisions participated in an intensive five-day refresher training program, which concluded on Sunday at Bansbari Forest IB, Manas National Park.
The training aims to strengthen their expertise in investigations, evidence collection, and framing wildlife offense incorporating the latest amendments of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and recently amended criminal laws and procedures.
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The training was organised by the field directorate, Manas Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to minimise the knowledge gaps among the investigating officers and to update them on relevant sections of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended upto 2022.
The roots of this program date back to April 2011, when WTI first introduced a law enforcement training focused specifically at Manas Tiger Reserve, jointly with Assam Forest Department.
Over the years, the initiative has evolved into a comprehensive training series.
By December 2024, a total of 754 officers belonging to frontline forest staff participated in 30 batches of fresher, refresher and advanced training held in various parts of Manas Tiger Reserve that also included 10 days of special training in Kaziranga NP and Orang NP.
“The training is a part of our continuous process to enhance the skills of our Investigating Officers in order to build their capacity and knowledge on the procedural changes as per the latest amendments including the relevant sections of criminal laws and procedures. We received several landmark judgements from the Hon’ble courts and the credit goes to WTI and IFAW for their continuous efforts jointly with us, said Dr C Ramesh, IFS, CCF, field director, Manas Tiger Reserve.
Bhupendra Nath Talukdar, deputy conservator of forests (Retd), Assam Forest Department as the mentor of the training said, “Many of our Investigating Officers face lot of difficulties due to the recent amendments in WPA 1972 and the relevant sections of the criminal laws enacted in 2023 in India due to the knowledge gaps and skills sets required for framing wildlife offence as per the changes. The five days training with practical session aims to cover all these aspects to overcome these challenges.”
The organisation will continue this effort to cover more frontline forest staff of the state.
