Forest dept staff yet to receive raincoats

Chennai: Bureaucracy and redtapism dog the state forest department, resulting in its staff not receiving the raincoats, shoes and torches sanctioned for them. What’s more, the recently regularised anti poaching watchers (APWs) are yet to receive their revised salaries announced by the government, informed sources said.

The government is concerned about the forests and the chief minister had made several recent announcements, benefiting the wildlife fraternity, but the government’s orders are not implemented in letter and spirit, said ranger M. Nazir, state president, Tamil Nadu Forest Staff Association.

The department should, every fiscal, provide a pair of shoes, raincoat and a torch for its frontline staff; a government order in this regard was passed last year (2012), and subsequently, another government order was passed on November 23 (2013), but the foresters are yet to receive their accessories. December has arrived and the monsoon is almost over, but about 5,600 field staff, including rangers, are yet to avail of the basics, he added.

The APWs are yet to receive their revised salaries in pockets of Ramnad, Rameswaram and Dindul. Represen­tations in this regard have been made to the forest ministry, said M Viswanathan, state general secretary of the Anti Poaching Watchers’ Union. A­PWs should be provided ca­mouflaged uniform and sh­oes which would boost t­heir morale, he said.

Eff­o­rts to contact Prin­cipal C­h­­­­i­ef Conservator of Fore­st­s­ Ga­utam Dey proved fut­il­e. According to K. Mohan Raj Co-ordinator, Tamil Nadu Green Mov­ement, forest staff are even worse off in remote  areas.

Those working in tiger reserves are provided their basic tools and amenities, but the situation has to improve in buffer and reserve forest areas.

It may be noted that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had in his report slammed the State Forest Department for poor human resource management and pulled up the department for not imparting training to field staff.