Meet Sasmita Lanka, Forest Officer Who Got UN Environmental Award For Busting Pangolin Racket

Sasmita Lanka, a forest officer from Odisha, has been felicitated with United Nation's Asia Environmental Enforcement Award.

Lanka, who is a divisional forest officer in Athgarh, Cuttack, received the award under the 'Gender Leadership and Impact' category for her work in helping in busting pangolin smuggling rackets in the state.

Happy to share the achievement of Sasmita Lenka, a lady forest officer, who will be one of the recipients of this year¡¯s UNEP Asia Environment Enforcement Award. She is being recognised for her work on combating against pangolin poaching in Odisha. Congratulations @sasmitalenka pic.twitter.com/7MrvIWuC2q

¡ª Ramesh Pandey (@rameshpandeyifs) February 1, 2021

She had helped bust an international network of pangolin in Athgarh and Khunnpunni.

"We have seized three pangolins, including a dead one, and arrested 28 smugglers. The pangolins were being supplied to China, Vietnam, and Myanmar for black marketing...I'm glad my work was noticed. But it'll only stop once the pangolin is saved from extinction," Sasmita, who is now posted as deputy conservator of forest in the Bhubaneswar district headquarters, told news agency ANI.

She also conducted many awareness campaigns among locals about the illegal trade of pangolins.

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She had offered a reward of Rs 10,000 for information about suspects. "Residents across 30 villages reached out with information. The initiative received a huge response, and we took action against several criminals based on this information," Lanka said.

She said that most locals were not aware that pangolins exist in the vicinity, but awareness about the animal and strict action taken by the administration helped change the people's mindset.