Sivasagar deputy commissioner Dr S Lakshmanan on Monday stressed on the importance of creating awareness on various issues involved with wildlife crimes and trafficking.
The Sivasagar DC while speaking at a workshop also gave emphasis on collaborative efforts of various departments and agencies to counter wildlife trafficking.
A two-day workshop on ‘Wildlife Law Enforcement and Combating Wildlife Trafficking’ began on Monday in Sukafa conference hall at the Sivasagar DC’s office.
The workshop has been organised by the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial) in collaboration with Wildlife Crime Society (WCS) and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).
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During the inaugural session, the DC also said the workshop would definitely help in understanding the entire clandestine operation of wildlife trade.
He added that the workshop would enable the participants in strengthening enforcement thereby facilitating more arrests of perpetrators.
In Monday’s technical sessions, resource person Mridula Vijairaghavan of WCS-India dealt in length on Wildlife Act, 1972 and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
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The other resource person, Dr KK Sarma of WCCB, elaborated on search and seizure.
Anirban Chaudhuri, training coordinator of WCS, spoke on identification of species, their parts and products in trade.
Sahila Kudalkar from WCS-India gave an introduction to wildlife crime and regional overview of wildlife crime in Assam.
Tuesday’s technical session will deal with topics like financial investigation in wildlife crimes; interrogation, confessions and recording a statement.
The session will also include topics like simulation exercise on search, seizure and drafting a WLOR; complaint and discussion on the Assam Forest Regulation Act, 1891.
The sessions will be deliberated upon by Dr KK Sarma of WCCB; Sonali Badhe of the Directorate of Enforcement and MI Varghese, IFS.
The other resource persons are Mridula Vijairaghavan of WCS-India; Sahila Kudalkar from WCS-India and Anirban Chaudhuri of WCS.
The inaugural meeting was attended by Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial), Sivasagar, Jayashree Naiding; additional superintendent of police Bolin Deuri; DSP (HQ) Subhalaksmi Dutta and others.