Kendrapara: Bhitarkanika National Park authorities have urged Jagatsinghpur district administration not to engage forest personnel in election duty as it would hamper the wildlife and turtles protection drive.
"The department has requested Jagatsinghpur Collector to exempt forest guards from poll duty after the district election officer recently enlisted forest guards of Kujang range in poll duty," Kedar Kumar Swain, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division said.
Noting that forest guards are engaged in protecting endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles on the beach and sea, he said they are also patrolling the sea to prevent illegal fishing by trawlers in Gahiramatha marine sanctuary.
The post of around 20 forest guards is lying vacant since long "for which we face lot of problems," Swain said, adding Gahiramatha marine sanctuary is the world's largest rookery of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Turtle conservation work will be severely affected if the administration does not relieve forest guards of poll-related work, the DFO said.
The authorities banned sea fishing from November 1 to May 31 within 20 km from the coast in Gahiramatha marine sanctuary to save endangered marine species.
Since the enforcement of fishing ban from November 1 last year, 150 marine fishermen have so far been taken into custody and 35 fishing craft seized for unlawful fishing activity within the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, added the forest officer. .
Last year around four lakh turtles laid eggs in Gahiramatha on March 17. Lakhs of turtles have already congregated near Gahiramath beach for mass-nesting soon for which we need more forest guards, he said.
When contacted Naba Kumar Nayak, additional chief electoral officer, said, "Forest officials from the wildlife parks and sanctuaries will not be posted on election duty for the forthcoming poll in the state. But those forest officials who work in the offices lying outside the forest areas will be engaged in poll work.
The vehicles, boats and staff of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks will also not be requisitioned for election duty, he said.
Satya Kumar Mallick, Collector of Jagatsinghpur, said, "We requisitioned staff of all government departments including forest department in poll duty. The administration has received the letter from DFO Rajnagar. As desired by the forest department, the administration would not impose poll duty on forest staff engaged in forest and turtle protection work."