Gujarat Forest Department Registers 75 Offences In Gir East, Fines Cross ₹13 Lakh

The Gir East Forest Division has registered 75 offences related to wildlife protection and forest violations over the past four months, recovering more than ₹13.30 lakh in fines, as the Gujarat Forest Department intensifies enforcement in the Gir landscape.

The action was taken on the instructions of state Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia, with authorities focusing on protecting Asiatic lions and preserving forest resources.

38 Cases For Unauthorised Entry

Of the 75 cases, 38 were registered against people who allegedly entered the sanctuary area without authorisation.

The Forest Department imposed fines totalling around ₹7.76 lakh in these cases.

Another eight cases involved alleged hunting of wild animals. Court proceedings are underway in four cases, while punitive action has been completed in the remaining four. The department recovered ₹2.20 lakh in fines in these cases.

16 Timber Transport Offences Registered

The division also registered 16 offences against people allegedly transporting timber without valid permits or transit passes.

Fines of ₹3.03 lakh were recovered in these cases.

A further 17 offences were registered over activities including dumping plastic waste and illegally grazing livestock in reserved grassland. The department recovered ₹32,500 in fines.

Officials said the enforcement drive aims to maintain environmental cleanliness in the sanctuary and protect its forest resources.

Forest Department Urges Citizens To Report Violations

The Forest Department has urged citizens to report incidents involving wildlife harassment, illegal hunting, unauthorised entry into restricted forest areas and timber theft to the nearest forest office or forest staff.

The Gir-East Deputy Conservator of Forests' office in Amreli has also asked people to report social media content showing the harassment of lions or other wildlife, illegal lion shows, sightings or entry into prohibited areas and hunting.

Citizens have been asked to share relevant reels, photographs or videos with forest authorities so that appropriate action can be taken.

Eight Detained In July Over Lion Harassment

The latest enforcement figures come amid continued efforts to prevent unauthorised activities in and around Gir.

In July, forest officials detained eight people in connection with alleged harassment of Asiatic lions and unauthorised entry into restricted forest areas after videos of the activities surfaced on social media.

The Forest Department has reiterated that people should not promote or circulate content depicting wildlife harassment or illegal activities and should instead alert officials so that alleged violations can be investigated and dealt with under applicable laws.