The Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court has demanded co-ordination between the agencies to curb wildlife crime.

Guwahati: Guwahati High Court Chief Justice (Acting) N Kotiswar

Singh on Saturday called for broader coordination among various agencies to curb wildlife crime, which is a threat to national security. Delivering a keynote address at a sensitive workshop on ‘Wildlife Crime: Challenges, Solutions and the Role of Stakeholders’ in Bongaigaon, Justice Singh said that wildlife crime has become a global concern and its prevention. And mitigation requires multifaceted and coordinated efforts. Various stakeholders including forest personnel, police, border guards, paramilitary forces, army and other relevant agencies.

He said that the basic duties enshrined in the Indian Constitution entrust the protection of natural environment, forests, water bodies (lakes) and wildlife to all citizens.

Therefore, the young SSB stationed at the border cannot ignore any attempt to smuggle valuable wildlife / wildlife parts from the country even though its primary duty is to protect the border.

The same is true of the army and other paramilitary forces which are expected to play their part in helping the forests.

The workshop was jointly organized by Assam State Legal Services Authority (ASLSA) and Biodiversity Conservation Organization Arniak and was attended by judicial officers from Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Charang districts besides Assam Police, Forest Department and SSB. Officers attended.