Rs 25 lakh compensation for dead forest guard's family

Bandipur Tiger Conservation Foundation will give Rs 25 lakh compensation to the family of forest guard Murigeppa who died while trying to douse a forest fire at Bandipur National Park.

Disclosing this to reporters after attending the State Wildlife Board meeting on Monday, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Ramanath Rai said directions have been issued to conduct a detailed enquiry into the cause of forest fire and submit a report.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is learnt to have pulled up the Forest department officials in the Board meeting for not dousing the forest fire immediately.

“What are you (forest officials) doing when the forest is getting burnt in four different places? How can such a thing happen? We in the government will be held responsible for the death of the forest guard. We are answerable to people,” an upset chief minister asked the officials.