HYDERABAD: All forest department officials should return to full duties and get back to protecting forests, which is their primary duty, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), R.M. Dobriyal said on Saturday.
Department staff at all levels had been deeply disturbed over the killing of forest range officer Ch. Srinivasa Rao in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on November 21, and declared that they would not take part in Podu land pattas related grama sabhas or other meetings on the issue.
During a video conference with department staff, Dobriyal assured them that the government was committed to the protection of forest department staff and their security.
The assurance came on a day when residents of Bendlapadu village, where Srinivasa Rao was killed by some Gutti Koya tribals in the forest abutting the habitation, passed a resolution to boycott the tribals living in a nearby hamlet.
The PCCF assured the staff that proposals will be sent to the government for issuing weapons to them and for setting up of 'forest stations' from where a team of armed personnel can quickly be deployed wherever required.
He said in the first phase, 30 forest stations will be set up with each having 18 staff. He also said the government was focusing on the damage to forests by Gutti Koyas, even as it was working for a peaceful resolution of the Podu land problems. In this context, he said, the staff must attend all grama sabhas on podu but should make it clear that any proposal for a patta must be in adherence to the Recognition of Forests Rights Act of 2006.
