Bengaluru: Can we imagine the entire police force withdrawing from duty for even a day? The priceless wildlife and forests in the state too will face the same risk when over 8,000 officers attached to the forest department take leave en masse demanding a pay hike, if the new BJP government fails to respond.
Mr Basavaraja S. Bena-katti, president, Karnataka State Deputy Range Forest Officer Association, said the strike was earlier scheduled to be held on July 31. “But as the new government is still settling down, we have to give it some time.
We will submit a fresh memorandum to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. If the government does not respond, we will go on leave en mass and protest in Bengaluru."He said that forest officers are being discriminated against by the government. Deputy Range Forest Officers (DRFOs) are equivalent to the rank of sub-inspectors in the police department, but draw the salary of a police constable. The present basic salary of a DRFO, who is a science graduate, is Rs 23,500, which is what a police constable draws, while that of an SI it is Rs 37,900. The salaries of forest officials and workers should be at least on par with that of the police department, Mr Benakatti said.
Along with DRFOs, forest guards, forest watchers, kavadis and mahouts too are joining the protest, demanding a pay hike. Their demand has been pending for the last 20 years and shuttling between departments at Vidhana Soudha.The officers and workers gave a representation to the forest minister in the previous government, Satish Jarakiholi. He accepted that there was an anomaly, but couldn't do much. Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and forest department top officials too gave an assurance, but it never materialised, he said.
Police personnel got a pay hike on June 16, much to the chagrin of forest officers and adding fuel to the fire. Though both DRFOs and SIs wear two stars on their shoulders, the task of forest staffers is more risky than that of their police counterparts. Forest officials lose their lives and limbs to animal attacks, tree falls, forest fires and floods. They also have to often confront wildlife smugglers, who are well armed. After military, the highest number of casualties occurs in the forest department, explained Mr Benakatti.In all, 2,374 DRFOs, 4,500 forest guards, 1,000 forest watchers and 500 kavadis and mahouts are all set to protest. They are ready with their leave letters and said that even if the leave is not sanctioned, they will take part in the strike in Bengaluru. If this happens, there will be a complete chaos in forests across the state. Also, without kavadis and mahouts there will be no one to control and care for trained elephants.
DFO Association, State Forest Association, Range Forest Officers’ Association, All-India Forest Officers Federation, New Delhi, Associations from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have extended their support to the protest.
Wildlife activist Sanjay Gubbi, environmentalist Saalumarada Timmakka and nature lovers will join the protest.
