Malkangiri: Timber smuggling, shifting cultivation by tribals and development projects have been taking a heavy toll on forest cover and wildlife in a tribal-dominated district like Malkangiri.
Forest fires in summer also destroy forests. As a result, some species of wildlife are on the verge of extinction, a report said.
In order to protect forests and wildlife, the forest department has come out to give incentives and support to various Vana Surakshya Samitis (VSSs) working in the forested pockets of the district.
All these VSSs have been formed by the forest department in order to build a partnership with the local communities in the efforts of forest and wildlife protection. In Malkangiri district, over 2,000 VSSs are working.
The members are being imparted training, awarded financial incentives and given other sops so that they will sincerely work for the protection of forests and wildlife under ‘Ama Jungle Yojana’.
In Gobindapally range, the VSSs were provided sets of cylinders and stoves with the aim of reducing dependency of tribals on firewood collected from forests.
VSS members pledged to ward off forest fires in days to come.
PNN