Maharashtra has proposed a permanent multi-agency coordination mechanism to tackle wildlife crime and trafficking, with Mumbai identified as a route for the illegal movement of pangolin scales, turtles, birds and marine species. The proposal was discussed at an interagency workshop held at the YB Chavan Centre in Nariman Point as part of Wildlife Week 2026.
Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik chaired the workshop, while Maharashtra Director General of Police Sadanand Date attended as chief guest. Naik said protecting wildlife was the collective responsibility of government agencies and citizens, and called for closer cooperation between the Forest Department, police and other enforcement agencies.
Date assured the Forest Department of the Maharashtra Police’s cooperation in preventing and investigating wildlife offences. He said coordination between the two departments would be strengthened under the Forest-Police Joint Circular.
Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, Sanjay Khandare proposed that every participating agency nominate a nodal officer. Under the proposed mechanism, state- and district-level coordination committees would meet regularly, while agencies would use a common platform to share information about wildlife offences and offenders. Joint training for forest and police personnel, as well as customs officials, was also proposed.
Khandare said an interagency standard operating procedure for exotic animals seized at airports was being prepared. The proposed western-region coordination mechanism is expected to include the Forest Department, police, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Customs, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Navy, Mangrove Cell and port authorities.
M S Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, and Chief Wildlife Warden, said wildlife crime had expanded beyond local areas and had become an interdistrict, interstate and international issue. He called for coordinated action between agencies to respond to trafficking networks.
The Forest-Police Joint Circular issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and the Director General of Police on September 1 provides for monthly District Tiger Cell meetings chaired by the Superintendent of Police. Reviews at the Revenue Division level will be held quarterly. Joint Investigation Teams will handle serious cases, and each district will have designated Forest Department and police nodal officers. Annual joint training is also planned.
Reddy said police assistance would be needed for call detail record and subscriber detail record analysis, cyber forensics and financial investigations. He also highlighted the need for police support during encroachment removal and human-wildlife conflict situations.
During the technical session, Yogesh Warkad, Regional Deputy Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau’s Western Region, discussed trafficking through Mumbai and the use of online and social media platforms for wildlife trade. The session also covered joint operations and intelligence sharing.
Anita Patil, Director of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, outlined challenges affecting the park, including encroachment, High Court-monitored rehabilitation, human-leopard conflict, illegal felling, forest fires and waste dumping. She called for joint action involving the Forest Department, police and civic bodies.
The workshop was attended by senior Forest Department officials, police and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau officers, along with other agencies and frontline field staff. Officials also felicitated forest personnel for their work in wildlife protection.
