The officials said that the employees of thedepartment are also going out of their way to provideessential commodities and food packets to the people dwellingin the forest interiors in a bid to mitigate their hardships.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Nagpur, PrabhuShukla, said the department staffers have been fighting as"silent warriors" for the protection and conservation ofwildlife and forest during these testing times.
"Recently, we foiled two attempts of poaching of wildanimals and arrested seven persons. In the last two months, 15incidents of forest fires were reported. The department ispatrolling the forest areas round-the-clock to thwart anyattempt of illicit tree felling and similar offences," hesaid.
"The Nagpur transit treatment centre annually admitsaround 600 injured animals. But during the lockdown periodalone, as many as 100 injured animals were rescued. They areundergoing treatment at the centre," Shukla said.
The department staffers have also been cleaning waterholes for animals, monitoring the movement of tigers andtaking regular steps to avoid man-animal conflict in thehighly vulnerable areas, he said.
He also informed that the employees of the Nagpurforest department are going beyond their designated work andproviding essential commodities and food packets to the peopleresiding in remote forest areas.
"More than 5,000 ration kits and food packets weredistributed in Umred, Hingna, Seminary hill ranges and otherarea. Masks and sanitisers were also distributed in Khapa,Hingna and other forest ranges for the safety of people,"Shukla said.
"We are also raising awareness about issues likesocial distancing and hygiene through public announcementsystems in 400 remote villages," he added. CLSNP NP