Date:18/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/18/stories/2008011856980500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Protest staged demanding salary for forest staff

Staff Reporter

A memorandum was submitted to Governor Rameshwar Thakur

BANGALORE: A group of journalists and cricketers on Wednesday staged a protest against the Government for not paying salary to forest watchers and other frontline staff posted in sensitive wildlife reserves.

The protesters said the forest watchers had not been paid wages for the past six months. The forest watchers, who were earlier receiving salaries regularly, were a demoralised lot which was affecting their efficiency, they said.

Participants

Journalists working with various English newspapers and television channels participated in the protest held at the Mahatma Gandhi statue. Cricketers Sunil Joshi, Sujit Somasundar and Dodda Ganesh participated in the protest.

In a memorandum submitted to Governor Rameshwar Thakur later, the journalists said that of 6000 sq. km of wildlife reserves in the State, 100 sq. km was vulnerable to poaching and smuggling. There was a need to set up about 180 anti-poaching camps across 60 wildlife ranges and each camp will require around six personnel. The Forest Department will incur a cost of Rs. 5 crore towards expenses for the camps.

Questioning the department’s reluctance to redress the problem, the journalists said there should not be any problem in allocating Rs. 5 crore when it was getting several crores of rupees from the Japanese Bank, World Bank and Union Government. They asked for a full-scale review of all management plans, working plans, and annual plans of operation to ensure that necessary funds are earmarked for protection related activities.