Exempt forest guards from poll duty: Bhitarkanika authorities

Bhitarkanika National Park authorities have urged Jagatsinghpur district administration not to engage forest personnel in election duty as it would hamper the wildlife and turtles protection drive.
"The department has requested Jagatsinghpur Collector to exempt forest guards from poll duty after the district election officer recently enlisted forest guards of Kujang range in poll duty," Kedar Kumar Swain, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division said.
Noting that forest guards are engaged in protecting endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles on the beach and sea, he said they are also patrolling the sea to prevent illegal fishing by trawlers in Gahiramatha marine sanctuary.

The post of around 20 forest guards is lying vacant since long "for which we face lot of problems," Swain said, adding Gahiramatha marine sanctuary is the world's largest rookery of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Turtle conservation work will be severely affected if the administration does not relieve forest guards of poll-related work, the DFO said.
The authorities banned sea fishing from November 1 to May 31 within 20 km from the coast in Gahiramatha marine sanctuary to save endangered marine species.
Since the enforcement of fishing ban from November 1 last year, 150 marine fishermen have so far been taken into custody and 35 fishing craft seized for unlawful fishing activity within the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, added the forest officer.