Conservation on an empty stomach?

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Dear All,
I found this article in Times of India and am deeply disturbed by this. I thought of sharing it with you all.

Look forward to your comments.

Sabyasachi

Karizanga forest, home guards protest non-payment of salaries
PTI 24 October 2009, 01:38pm IST
KAZIRANGA: Over 200 forest and home guards deployed at the famed Kaziranga National Park held a demonstration to protest non-payment of their salaries for several months.

The personnel came out of the jungles and demonstrated in front of KNP's main office in Kohora range demanding payment of their last five months salaries.

Shouting slogans, the demonstrating home guards demanded immediate payment of their salaries as they were facing immense hardships.

Yesterday, 65 casual forest guards engaged by the forest department had demonstrated against the KNP authority demanding payment of their seven months salary.

The Park authorities urged the demonstrators to return to their duty and assured them that their salaries would be paid as the amount was already budgeted for by the government.

On being asked what alternate steps the Forest department was taking for protection of the Park in view of the security personnel leaving their posts, Divisional Forest Officer D Gogoi, said he was proceeding to the Park to take stock of the situation.

The source article can be found at this link:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Karizanga-forest-home-guards-protest-non-payment-of-salaries-/articleshow/5156554.cms

[Mrudul Godbole]

Five-Seven months of salary not paid, is really a shocking news. If the Government cant pay the salaries of the guards on time, how can we expect them to not resort to any other chance of earning money. I don't think it will be a very huge sum, that the Government cant pay the salaries on time.

We find such things even in lot of other states, where lot of posts in the Forest department are empty, there are less number of guards to patrol, inadequate equipment, etc. In these circumstances expecting them to fight against poachers, who are well armed is demanding too much.

I hope if we all raise our voice, the Govt. would take notice and pay the poor guards their due.

[Bibhav Behera]

If the government cant even provide the basic hygiene factors to them, how can we even think of them being motivated to protect the forests staying away from their families and civilization. As such their pays are minimal.

[Siddhartha Gogoi]

Hi,

I seriously feel it would make a lot of difference if we can privatise a forest or in other words the Corporate world should take up responsibility of the up keeping of the forest department, know if that would be feasible but it's been more than 50 years since the Government's been looking after the Forest Department and it's not getting any better anyway. Or at least MNC's can start the concept of adopting one or two Beat Camps for all the Protected Areas and pay for their salaries every month or alternatively they can regularly felicitate Forest Personals who show exemplary courage and dedication time and again by giving them cash rewards as Certificates and Medals will not feed their and their families hunger. This will also motivate other forest personals to step up their work and everyone has a chance of getting recognised for their commendable work that they perform against all odds. I have presented the idea of adopting an Anti Poaching Camp or felicitating forest personals to the MNC that I work for and I hope it turns into a practice sooner or later. As we all know the Forest Department is the least looked after Department in the Government and at the same time everyone expects them to give their best no matter what. Once a Range Forest Officer said during an interview, "we will give the Tiger another decade to live" these words came straight from the mouth of a person who is entrusted to work for wildlife conservation, but no one can blame him cause he's been forced to say this because his men are asked to take up menial work in their Superior's Quarters rather than letting them perform their core responsibilities. Time has indeed come when it calls for a change cause we have seen enough turmoil in the hands of so called people who call the shots (Government) as they have absolutely no "politically will" to save the Tiger or for that matter any wild animals.

Regards,
Siddhartha

[Ranbir Mahapatra]

I bet we do not have dearth of money in India. Look at IPL - one of the most obscene displays of money power in India; or the rapidly mushrooming "luxury" wildlife resorts, hotels and adjoining Ranthambore and their waiting list of tourists .

The chief issues afflicting kaziranga and wildlife conservation in India are governmental apathy and wrong distribution of capital.

Siddhartha's suggestion of privatizing our jungles is interesting.

Sometime back, Sabyasachi and me were discussing about each corporate adopting a tiger - by sanctioning maybe 20 -30 lacs or more per year. I feel adopting beat camps is workable and hence a better idea. If Hyundai could give 100 odd flashy Hyundai Accent to the Chennai police and Infosys can sponsor dozens of public restrooms in Bangalore, I am sure the corporate czars of India can be pitched the idea of sponsoring the equipment / infrastructure of zones.