State Forest Department observed “Forest Martyrs’ Day” in memory of its 33 former employees, who had given away their lives for the cause of protecting forests, in Bangalore on Saturday.

The department paid a ceremonial homage to these martyrs, belonging to different service cadres. They had died on duty while saving the forest wealth from smugglers of wood, sandalwood and ivory, and also due to attacks by elephant herds.

Upalokayukta Justice G Patri Basanagouda and senior departmental officers offered wreaths to the memorial built with inscription of names of these brave martyrs on it at the Aranya Bhavana in Malleshwaram, while the troupes offered salutes.

Justice Basanagouda said, Government should take steps to strengthen the forest department so that loss of precious lives of the officials could be prevented. While appreciating the spirit of martyrs, he said, commitment towards work made some people stand out. He also asked senior officers of the department to be sensitive to providing immediate medical care for injured employees and speedy reliefs to martyrs’ families.

Wife of H C Narayana, a forest watcher, who died in April 2007 while on duty, was honoured on the occasion and the official order recruiting his son to the department, on compassionate grounds was handed over.

Narayana, watcher of Sudur Manna forests, Aynur circle, Shimoga district, was found murdered by miscreants when he had went to prevent illegal felling of trees in Saguvani Nedutopu of the forest area.

N Satish, younger son of late H C Narayana, who was offered his father’s job was unhappy that police investigation had not yet found the culprits responsible for his father’s death. “The investigation seems to be going very slow. We want punishment for those who took my father’s life. Since it had happened inside the forest, we have no clues to help them,” he said.