Baripada: The authorities of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) plan to adopt a multi-pronged approach and stepped up vigil to combat the threat of akhand shikar.

The annual mass hunting exercise of people from tribal communities is carried twice a year - during Makar Sankranti and Maha Vishuv Sankranti.

According to age-old traditions, people from tribal communities enter the forests in groups with bows, arrows and knives to hunt animals in the direction given by their dehuri (priest) after a special puja.

Besides deploying additional manpower for patrolling the core and buffer areas, the STR authorities will also launch an awareness campaign, including dissuading dehuris, to save wildlife.

STR's deputy director Yagnadutt Pati said joint camps had been set up with their personnel at all divisions, including Baripada, Rairangpur and Karanjia, to prevent entry of poachers.

"About 900 personnel, including those from the special tiger protection force and watchers, have been deployed to patrol and guard the sanctuary area. We are also organising sports in 120 foothill villages involving tribal youths to keep them engaged," said Pati.

"We have also activated the intelligence wing and established about 130 protection camps. Apart from intensifying patrolling, we are conducting flag marches in different ranges under the supervision of respective rangers," he said.

The Similipal sanctuary is surrounded by around 1,200 villages with 64 in the buffer area. There is one village, Bakua, in the core area. Out of the 1,200 foothill villages, nearly 120 are kept under strict surveillance because of past incidents.

"We recovered a country-made gun during a raid in Dukura," said Baripada divisional forest officer Swayam Malik.

"The alert and vigil would maintained for at least till April 20," he said.