Bandipora, Apr 25: Forest protection force on Tuesday seized a 9-foot punt gun in Kulhama village of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, which marks the ninth gun seized so far this year.
Deputy Director, Forest Protection Force, Aijaz Ahmad, told Rising Kashmir that they noticed suspicious movement in Wular lake following which a team was deputed who acted swiftly to seize the gun.
He said that migratory birds in Wular Lake have been saved to a great extent this year as they seized nine punt guns, each about 9 feet in length, which helped curb illegal poaching activities in the lake.
The punt guns were being used to target migratory birds, which visit the Wular Lake during winter season, Deputy Director Forest Protection Force said adding that the forest their efforts have helped preserve the bird population and maintain the ecological balance of the region.
To further protect the forest and wildlife, Ahmad also mentioned that the forest protection force will soon be introducing high-tech drones to monitor illegal activities in Wular. In addition to preventing poaching, these drones will also help in detecting and monitoring forest fires.
The use of drones for forest fire detection and monitoring has become increasingly common in recent years, as they offer several advantages over traditional methods. Drones can cover a larger area in less time and can quickly identify hotspots, allowing for a quicker response time to contain the fire.
Mohd Ismaeel a local who resides on one of the banks of wular told Rising Kashmir that the forest protection force’s efforts to combat illegal activities in Wular and protect the forest and its wildlife are commendable, and the introduction of drones will further strengthen their efforts.
The use of technology in protecting forests is an innovative approach that has the potential to be highly effective in preventing forest fires and detecting illegal activities, he said.
