Army to play a role in conserving GIB

Jaisalmer: Indian Army will now be playing a role in conserving the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) which is on the verge of extinction. Army along with the forest department will do joint patrolling at Pokhran field firing range and make all possible efforts to protect godawan eggs said Army southern command chief of staff Lt Gen Raymond Narohama during a workshop organised to save GIB in Jodhpur on Tuesday.
In the workshop chief wildlife warden G V Reddy; Major Gen Mohanty; Pokhran range Col Chahar; retired joint secretary Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) M K Ranjit Singh; Bombay Natural Society director Deepak Apte; lead project of GIB scientist Y B Jhala Wildlife Institute of India scientist Sudipto Dutta researcher Chitaranjan Dave CCF Govind Sagar Bhardwaj; Bombay Natural Society former director Asad Rehmani and others took part. Lt Gen Narohama said many units of the Army come to Pokhran for firing exercise but they do not poach wildlife and time to time they are given warning. but if any jawan is found involved in poaching then his court martial is done.
He said Army with forest department will make plan for joint patrolling in a bid to conserve godawan and other species.
Maximum population of godawan is in Rajasthan and half of them are found in Pokhran field firing range. Army is extending complete cooperation in protecting them.
"Army at many places of the country is extending help in conserving wildlife and the way Army has make Nesdek (protected area) in Kashmir and other areas for wildlife conservation on the same lines Army should make Nesdek in the entire western Rajasthan which will set an example" Ranjit Singh said.
DNP deputy conservator Anup K R said that Army will plan out a method to allow forest department to conduct survey in the Army areas. Besides Army on seeing any person poaching wildlife will immediately catch him and hand over to forest department.
CCF Govind Sagar senior scientist Y V Jhala and researcher team's Sudipto gave their presentations and expressed their views on protecting eggs of godawan in the workshop.
It is to be mentioned that in the last one to two years apart from DNP godawans have been seen at Pokhran field firing range and it is not possible to go into Army range every time.
The workshop was organised to educate the Army personnel about godawan and they were inspired to conserve them.