Bhubaneswar: With Similipal Tiger Reserve intensifying its surveillance and protection mechanism, a new batch of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) will receive arms training from police soon.The STPF is the main striking force to check trespassing, poaching and even rescuing trapped forest personnel from poachers.Sumit Kar, deputy director (Smilipal south division), said they have written to the police to provide a slot for the arms training. “We are yet to get a response from the police department but are hopeful we will be allotted a date soon for at least 18 personnel of the STPF to be sent for training,” Kar told TOI.The personnel will use weapons owned by forest department, such as pistols, revolvers and .303 rifles during the training. These are the weapons they normally carry in the reserve.In July 2023, the state government decided to arm the forest personnel with firearms, saying that it has done so in view of mounting threats to conservation, protection and existence of wildlife. The notification envisaged checks and balance as to prevent misuse of arms as well.“Giving arms and imparting weapon training is a huge morale booster,” Kar said.In another development, the Similipal authorities on Monday issued an order that all eco-tourism sites except two in the reserve will remain closed from June 29 for the monsoon. The authorities haven’t mentioned the date of its reopening. The two eco-tourism sites that will remain opened throughout is Jamuani and Talabandha.
