September 05, 2007	Wednesday	Sha'aban 22, 1428

MITHI, Sept 4: In gross violation of the game laws, indiscriminate hunting of deer, antelope, partridge, hare, peacock and sand grouse are being carried out, particularly in Nagarparkar taluka but the officials of wildlife department seem reluctant to initiate lawful action against the violators.

Sources told Dawn on Monday that a few days ago some influential professional hunters, residents of village Sakrio and Khanu Ji Dhani taluka Nagarparkar, hunted a female deer by firing that was grazing with goats with its two young fawns, near village Hemali Tali. When the people asked them not to hunt the female that had two young fawns at its milk, they threatened them of dire consequences and shot her.

In another incident about four days ago, a constable of wildlife department, posted at Nagarparkar, hunted a beautiful deer near Nagarparkar and presented its meat to a local influential wadera.

Though the villagers made complaints to an inspector of wildlife department about the incident, no action was initiated against the hunter.

Apart from it, some poachers, residents of Mirwah Thari who were staying as guests in village Serhyoon taluka Nagarparkar, fired at two antelopes, one of the injured antelope escape however the other one was caught and slaughtered by the hunters.

Local people made complaint to the staffers of wildlife department about the incident but of no avail.

Taking cognisance of wiping out of rare wildlife species in Thar due to unchecked and illegal hunting during the last few decades, the district council Tharparkar through resolution demanded complete ban on hunting in Thar to protect the endangered species but the wildlife department has continued issuing the hunting permits.

Information gathered by Dawn revealed that a few decades ago, peacocks were found in almost every village of Thar but it now hardly 30 per cent of villages have them owing to its trapping at the hands of poachers.