Forest guards demand job regularisation, pay

Chennai: About 200 forest guards and anti-poaching watchers on Friday staged a demonstration at Valparai demanding job regularisation and better salaries. “We are in no way inferior to other department staff and to work in the deep forests, a person has to be agile and possess jungle skills. Most of us are from poor economic background and if the government regularises our job, our families will benefit,” said the demonstrators.

“We were forced to demonstrate as despite our pleas, the state forest department has failed to address our issues for the past several years,” said Bhuttan Raja, president, Tamil Nadu Anti-Poaching Watchers Association. After braving the scorching sun and rain while perambulating the thickets, most of the forest guards and anti-poaching watchers have remained temporary staff since 1986 and the new recruits for anti-poaching activities are also taken in as casual labourers, he said.

The minimal pay of Rs 6,000 provided to APWs fail to benefit the workers and their families, he added. Our counterparts in the neighbouring states, working in tiger reserves, are supported with allowances for washing and medical support, he said.  Risk allowance, fixed travelling allowance, winter allowance and project tiger allowances are provided in ot-her states, Bhuttan Raja added.

There are tourist guides, fire line controllers, guards, eco-watchers and tra-ckers, drivers in forest de-partment working as temporary staff and the government can provide livelihood for such foot soldiers and such a move would improve forest management, said Valaparai-based advocate M. Viswanathan.