Much awaited Wildlife Crime Control Bureau approved by Cabinet

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) In a series of measures to save the tiger and other species threatened with extinction, the Union Cabinet today approved constitution of a 'Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau' or the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau with headquarters in the Capital.

The approval to the much awaited Bureau, whose formation had been recommended by the National Task Force on Tiger, has come a few days after a government study released here showed substantial decrease in the number of tigers in central Indian states.

The multidisciplinary Bureau is mainly aimed at strengthening the ongoing efforts for control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife parts, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told media persons.

It will establish a credible data base on wildlife items and trade, and develop a mechanism to bring to book the guilty in the crime against wildlife .

The Bureau will also assist in the training of field staff in intelligence gathering, crime detection and prosecution.

It will have four existing regional offices and three sub-regional offices and one new regional office. Besides, five existing sensitive border customs posts will be strengthened for overseeing matters relating to trafficking of wildlife, their body parts and their derivatives.

A new post of additional director general has been created in the rank of the Inspector General of Police.

UNI