OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: In a significant move to enhance wildlife protection efforts, 27 investigating officers (IOs) from six forest divisions recently participated in an intensive five-day refresher training at Manas National Park. The training aims to strengthen their expertise in investigations, evidence collection and framing wildlife offense incorporating the latest amendments of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and recently amended criminal laws and procedures.
The training was organized 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 Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended up to 2022. The roots of this programme date back to April 2011, when WTI first introduced law enforcement training focused specifically in Manas Tiger Reserve jointly with the 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 special training held 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 judgments from the courts and the credit goes to WTI and IFAW for their continuous efforts jointly with us,” said Dr C Ramesh, CCF and 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.” He said that the five-day training with practical sessions aims to cover all these aspects and will overcome these challenges. The organization will continue this effort to cover more frontline forest staff of the state, he added.
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