Mananthavady: With wildlife attacks on human habitats on the rise, the forest divisions in Wayanad have been equipped with thirty nine 12 bore pump action guns.

The state forest department has purchased fifty 12 bore pump action guns to deal with animal menace that enter human habitats and also at times can be used for the safety of the forest department personnel. Purchased from Calcutta, the rifles landed by flight at the Mangalore airport the other day and were transported to Wayanad by the officials.

Considering the gravity of issues faced by the forest staff in Wayanad, as many as 39 guns were provided to various forest divisions of the district- 12 each for the North Wayanad Division and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and 15 for the South Wayanad Forest Division. "The cost of one rifle is around Rs 1 lakh", officials said.

The forest department officials have undergone training sessions in firearm use at the Kerala Police Academy. The impact of 12 bore pump action guns and loud sound during firing are expected to deter wildanimals. It is also used a security weapon while confronting poachers in forests.

With only a few rifles for the three forest divisions of Wayanad, forest department personnel often had a tough time in the last few years. There were many incidents when the forest officials were attacked by both animals as well as anti-social elements.

There were widespread allegations that the forest forces were helpless while facing the rogue animals. During the series of missions to deal with problem animals like the Belur Makhna elephant and tigers, the forest department personnel had cut a sorry figure without sufficient arms and ammunition.

North Wayanad DFO Martin Lowel told Onmanorama that the 12-bore rifles are known for their efficacy in the field and the forest department personnel would be more confident while patrolling in the jungle. "Apart from its impact on the body, the loud sound while pulling the triggers also would scare away animals,'' he said.

Expert shooters in the forest department will be assigned to train the others in using the guns. Though all of them are trained in using guns during the rifle training imparted at the police academy, many of them have not used guns regularly. In the coming days, a team of forest officials picked up from each Forest Range under the divisions would brush up their lessons in rifle shooting.