Baripada, May 16: Authorities of the Similipal Tiger Reserve are planning to procure a drone aircraft equipped with night vision cameras to fortify the surveillance around the hostile regions of the sanctuary.

At present, the officials are depending on ground patrolling. Besides, bad weather conditions are also affecting the vigil. "There is a need to deploy a drone aircraft to maintain the surveillance in some areas of the sanctuary. This would definitely be a boost to the anti-poaching measures," said honorary wildlife warden Bhanoomitra Acharya.

"With this, the flora and fauna will be better protected," Acharya said.

Ranthombore and Bandipur, two other tiger sanctuaries of the country, are already using these aircrafts to keep tabs on the poachers.

Source said the Similipal wildlife officials had been in touch with various private agencies to procure the drone.

A senior wildlife official said there was a plan to get at least one such aircraft for the sanctuary and test it.

Deputy director of the tiger reserve Ajit Satpathy said: "A few national sanctuaries are using drones to keep vigil. The proposal for procuring drones for the sanctuary is in the pipeline."

"The drone will be an asset," said Satpathy.

Moreover, the authorities also plan to increase the number of anti-poaching camps.

There has been a proposal to set up four new camps within this fiscal. Few of the identified areas for such camps are Thakurmunda, Upper Barhakamuda, Jenabill and Lower Barhakamuda. These camps will also have elephant-proof trenches.

"Proposal for the setting up of four anti-poaching camps has been submitted to the authorities concerned," said Satpathy.

"Besides, we also have a plan to protect the prohibited sanctuary area by restricting the entry of villagers from certain zones. We will block such routes by erecting barbed fences and digging trenches," Satpathy said.