New Forest Department regulations mandating authorisation before wildlife rescue operations have caused immediate operational problems, with a leopard capture incident underscoring the severe risks introduced by delays.
The directive, requiring teams to obtain formal consent from officers prior to deployment, has operational difficulty among field personnel.
The recent rescue of a leopard, a Schedule-1 animal, highlighted the urgency often required in such incidents. The animal was initially sighted days before it was confirmed inside the 400kV substation of the Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company here.
Contracted security guards Krishna Baghela and Suraj Mohaniya, along with maintenance team member Shriram Abhilash, discovered the animal.
The swift action of test attendant KK Mishra in notifying the department allowed a team to set up a cage and capture the leopard. Those involved will be rewarded for their prompt action.
However, field personnel have suggested that waiting for formal authorisation, particularly during critical hours, may lead to animals attacking citizens or crowds harming the creatures.
The incident involving the leopard demonstrates the need for immediate deployment, yet department rules now demand a detailed incident report be submitted and approved before any team can be sent out.
Officers raised questions regarding the difficulty of implementation during a meeting to discuss the new regulation.
They stated that delays in receiving authorisation would complicate the rescue effort, noting that an animal might attack individuals during this waiting period. The officers present did not provide a response.
The issue points to a lack of internal mechanisms for personnel to report immediate concerns regarding delays, effectively chilling the necessary swift action.
The new regulation requires mandatory case registration for Schedule-1 animal incidents, further formalising the process. Authorisation from officers is also required for the subsequent release or shifting of rescued animals, extending the procedural chain and increasing the danger profile for both human and animal life.
The directive, requiring teams to obtain formal consent from officers prior to deployment, has operational difficulty among field personnel.
The recent rescue of a leopard, a Schedule-1 animal, highlighted the urgency often required in such incidents. The animal was initially sighted days before it was confirmed inside the 400kV substation of the Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company here.
Contracted security guards Krishna Baghela and Suraj Mohaniya, along with maintenance team member Shriram Abhilash, discovered the animal.
The swift action of test attendant KK Mishra in notifying the department allowed a team to set up a cage and capture the leopard. Those involved will be rewarded for their prompt action.
However, field personnel have suggested that waiting for formal authorisation, particularly during critical hours, may lead to animals attacking citizens or crowds harming the creatures.
The incident involving the leopard demonstrates the need for immediate deployment, yet department rules now demand a detailed incident report be submitted and approved before any team can be sent out.
Officers raised questions regarding the difficulty of implementation during a meeting to discuss the new regulation.
They stated that delays in receiving authorisation would complicate the rescue effort, noting that an animal might attack individuals during this waiting period. The officers present did not provide a response.
The issue points to a lack of internal mechanisms for personnel to report immediate concerns regarding delays, effectively chilling the necessary swift action.
The new regulation requires mandatory case registration for Schedule-1 animal incidents, further formalising the process. Authorisation from officers is also required for the subsequent release or shifting of rescued animals, extending the procedural chain and increasing the danger profile for both human and animal life.