Forest dept staffers to go on indefinite hunger strike on Feb 22

Frontline forest department staffers, including forest guards and watchers, will begin an indefinite fast before the department building in Malleswaram on February 22 over their demands pending for two years.

Noting that they make the first and the only line of defence in the forests, Karnataka State Forest Guards and Watchers Association general secretary Raju Limbu Chavhan said the government has repeatedly ignored their legitimate demands.

“Unlike teachers, Anganwadi workers or bus drivers, we cannot shut down the services and begin a mass strike. That will make our forests vulnerable and hurt our department. This is the reason we are demanding the government not to ignore us. Otherwise, we will be forced to begin a strike,” he said.

Karnataka has about 1,170 watchers, 3,994 forest guards, 2,734 DRFO and 765 RFOs, who play a crucial role in protecting the forests.

Similarly, kavadis, mahouts and jamedars are key to managing the elephant camps.

However, the associations representing different groups have been raising the issue of pay disparity, which has prevailed for the last 20 years.

After an exchange of letters and several meetings, forest officials proposed a set of pay revisions to the government last year. “More than a year later, the government is yet to take up the issue. Meanwhile, the forest ministry is changing hands frequently and the associations are approaching the new minister and seeking justice. The lack of consistency in the department has added to our problems as we have no one at the government level to discuss our issues with,” he said.