Itanagar, Feb 21: The Arunachal Pradesh government signed an MoU with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on Tuesday to establish the state’s first Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in order to revamp conservation efforts.

The special force, comprising 336 personnel, will be deployed in the frontier state’s three tiger reserves- Namdapha, Kamlang, and Pakke.

According to the MoU, the NTCA will provide funding support for raising, arming, and deploying the special tiger protection force to protect tigers in all the state’s tiger reserves, with funding split 90:10 between the Centre and the state government.

Unlike many other states, Arunachal Pradesh did not have a dedicated tiger protection force despite having three tiger reserves.

A total of 112 personnel will be deployed in each of the three tiger reserves.

Concerns over tiger protection in the state increased after the tiger census conducted in 2022 found a decrease from 29 tigers in 2018 to only nine in 2022 across the three tiger reserves.

The primary objectives of the STPF will be to protect and safeguard the assets of the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change department, including those of the tiger reserves, by preventing the poaching of tigers and other wildlife.

It maybe noted, in October last year, the state cabinet approved the establishment of the special tiger protection force following the guidelines of the NTCA.”

Also Read: 10 workers allegedly abduct by Ulfa-I & NSCN in Arunachal; Security Forces launch search ops

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