E-patrol in Buxa by Sept

TT, Alipurduar Aug. 16: The forest department will introduce e-patrolling in Buxa Tiger Reserve by September to intensify vigil, forest officers have said.

The system would be put in place with the help of an Android device and once introduced, details of patrolling, like compartment number, map, objects sighted by the staff, duration of patrolling and other information would reach the officials instantly.

Buxa field director Ujjwal Ghosh said: "We are going to introduce e-patrolling by September. An app, Hejje e patrol, has been developed by a Bangalore-based company. It can be used with an android phone. When foresters will start patrolling, we will be able to know in which compartment they are, what their location is according to the map, how many kilometres they have travelled, what are the animals sited and if any person with arms is found and the team has seen any elephant. If we see any poacher, we will send our staff members to that particular area immediately."

He added: "We will receive information instantly. Earlier, it would take 20 days as the beat officers usually compile information and send those to higher officials twice in a month. Initially, we will provide android devices to 20 beat offices. If Internet is not available then also we will receive information by SMS."

Tejomaya, the director of the Bangalore-based company, said over the phone: "There will be two buttons only. Once the start button is on, all information will come to the control office automatically. The staff will not be able to change any data as there is nothing to write and everything will be done automatically."

Photographs can also be taken and instantly transferred to the headquarters.

The data would be secure and information will be accessible only by authorised staff.