Armed guards
Palamu Tiger Reserve may soon deploy armed guards, as officials admit unarmed patrols cannot match poachers entering with rifles. Spread across 1,149 square kilometers, the reserve holds six tigers, 180 elephants, 10,000 spotted deer, bison, and wolves. Protecting them with sticks and sickles has left staff exposed.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Paritosh Upadhyaya confirmed a proposal is being prepared for the Centre, following the example of Kaziranga, where armed guards have long been used. In the interim, local administrations are being asked to supply armed home guards.
Deputy Director Kumar Ashish stressed the imbalance: poachers are heavily armed while forest staff remain unprotected. He argued that giving guards proper weapons could cut poaching by 90 percent.
Palamu’s Maoist history compounds the risk. Thirteen forest personnel have been killed in attacks since the 1990s. If India wants serious tiger protection, political will must extend to arming those risking their lives for the reserve. Survival depends on enforcement, not symbolism.
The armed guards article:
Based on New Indian Express, India.
Photo via New Indian Express.
