Bijnor: With an aim to increase security cover in forest areas, Uttar Pradesh government will set up watchtowers for electronic surveillance of jungles throughout the state. Besides, drones will also be deployed in forest areas. For the purpose, Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has been entrusted with the task of conducting a survey and submit its report within two months to the UP government.At a workshop held in Lucknow on Wednesday, top forest officials decided to set up and strengthen electronic surveillance system in forests.Bijnor divisional forest officer M Semmaran said, “Under e-Eye system, 45-metre-high towers will be erected in jungles and will be fitted with high-end cameras. The watch towers will also have sentries who will keep an eye on poaching, illegal felling of trees and fire incidents. This system was established earlier in Uttarakhand’s Corbett Park, Assam and Madhya Pradesh under a pilot scheme. It is now to be extended in UP’s forest as well. Dehradun-based WII has been given the task to conduct a survey in this regard.”“As part of the project, solar-powered watchtowers will be fitted with short-range infrared and long-range thermal cameras and motion sensors. Each long-range camera sweeps a circle of approximately 70 square kilometres while each infrared camera monitors actively directly below a watch post. The system uses varifocal visible cameras with fixed zoom lens. The sensors function in the dark and fog, environmental conditions that can otherwise conceal poachers,” the DFO said.Semmaran said, “Remotely connected to this imaging array via a 4G network and satellite technology, staff at the forest central server station and authorised users elsewhere can receive data from all sensors and control every monitoring feed. They can pan, tilt and zoom in on living objects over 20kg using a web browser. If poachers or animals cross into restricted territory, the control room will notify authorities via text, call or email within 30 to 40 seconds, so that they can decide whether to take action.”The DFO said, “For security purpose, various types of drones will be employed in the forests having cameras to monitor movement of both animals and man. The drones will be fitted with tranquilizers to control rogue elephants and dangerous tigers.”Semmaran said WII will conduct a survey and submit its report to state government which later will passed on to the cabinet. “The process is supposed to take three or four months,” he said.The DFO said Amangarh tiger reserve area of Bijnor district requires two towers which should be connected with Corbett National Park (CNP) as it is its buffer zone. “This system will prove help in curbing man-animal conflict in the area, especially in Piliphit tiger reserve area where many people were killed by man-eaters last year. Forest officials will be able to keep a tab on the movement of animals and poachers,” he added.

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