Imphal, November 19: The State Forest Department, being crippled with shortage of manpower and funding, is unable to restrain large scale poaching of wild animals.

The department has urged the Centre to open a monitoring unit at Imphal to provide effective safeguard of wildlife against poaching.

In this regard the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, S Singsit informed the Sangai Express that the Department has already appraised the central authorities the inability of the Department to check the wanton killing of wild animals and urged to open a monitoring unit.

"The Centre is actively considering to comply with the request", Singsit stated.

Once this unit becomes operational, the major task of protecting wildlife against poaching in remote and border areas would be undertaken by the central team, the Chief Conservator said while adding that a similar unit had already been opened at Guwahati.

Singsit stated that in addition to the existing officials and staff of the Department, the Centre would provide necessary vehicles and fire power to foil poaching activities in the State.

"During my official tour to New Delhi scheduled in January next year, I will press hard for opening the cell to the Inspector General of Forest under the Ministry of Environment and Forest" mentioned the Forest Chief and expressed his optimism that the Centre would consent to the proposal.

The officer further asserted that even though the Department has been doing its best, the shortage of manpower has severely hampered anti poaching measures resulting in a serious threat to many rare and endangered species listed under scheduled I.

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