'Forest guards directly responsible for forest assets'

Speaking after inaugurating the celebrations, Conservator of Forest (Mangalore Circle) S Shanthappa said that forest guards play a prominent role in safeguarding the forest assets. They ought to be held directly accountable for conservation of forest. Forest department has sent proposal to government demanding amendments in the pay scale of the forest guards. The requirement of educational qualification is posing as a barrier to hike the wages of forest guards. The pay scale commission has discarded the proposal to increase the wages seizing the educational requirements for the post as reason, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Hemalatha, Deputy Conservators of Forest Opalayya (Kundapur Division), Prakash Natalkar (Kudremukh Wild Life Division), Udupi District Karnataka State Government Employees Union President Subramanya Sherigar and others were present.