Telangana to arm forest staff as monthly offence cases exceed 11,600

Ahead of Forest Martyrs' Day on September 11, Telangana's forest department revealed it is considering a ₹4.095-crore proposal to equip frontline staff with arms and ammunition. The move aims to strengthen personnel capabilities in combating forest encroachments, wildlife smuggling, and poaching while ensuring their self-defence.

The initiative comes as the department grapples with a significant enforcement challenge, recording over 11,669 forest offence cases each month. The proposed armament programme targets identified frontline workers to enhance their operational effectiveness in protecting forest resources and wildlife.