Odisha forest department overhauls squad deployment following surge in elephant deaths

Bhubaneswar: Under scrutiny for the death of over 40 elephants so far this fiscal, the Odisha forest department has reassigned protection squads from forest divisions to circle levels for more effective wildlife protection.

In a recent letter to all Regional Chief Conservators of Forests (RCCFs), the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden said despite having 397 squads deployed in different forest divisions for protection and conservation of wildlife, more than 40 elephant deaths have been reported during the current financial year.

The letter stated that while the services of these squads are crucial, the leadership necessary for their effective utilisation and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for field operations—such as tracking elephants and undertaking protection activities—have been lacking.

The letter also pointed out that no action has been taken in this regard, and the performance of the squads has not been reported to the wildlife headquarters.

It noted that "signs of permanency have crept in," resulting in neither effective patrolling nor protection of wildlife and their habitats, with no action taken against underperforming squads.

To rectify the situation, the department has decided to reallocate the squads from forest divisions to the RCCFs for better field deployment and patrolling.

The department advised the RCCFs to "not disengage any performing squad members sourced from an outsourced agency as long as they fulfill the requirements in the field."

RCCFs have been instructed to mobilise squads from neighbouring divisions as needed to ensure effective wildlife protection and management.