Bhubaneswar: As the Protection Assistants of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) are on indefinite strike, the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change has deployed police personnel to provide protection to the Similipal National Park.
While 30 police personnel have already been deployed in 16 ranges, another three platoons of police will be deployed there soon, said a senior forest official.
The Protection Assistants are on indefinite strike over their five-chatter demands including provision of bulletproof jackets, Rs 30 lakh compensation to the kin of the deceased who died in the line of duty, remuneration against 24-hour duty, hike in salary and insurance benefits among others.
Over 400 Protection Assistants who took part in the dharna alleged that they had submitted a memorandum in this regard to Forest and Environment Minister Pradeep Amat, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni several times in the past but to no avail.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Forces(HoFF), Debidutta Biswal said the State Government is positively considering their demands, which can be fulfilled immediately. He again appealed to the protesting forest officials to withdraw their protest and join duty.
On protection of forests and wildlife, the PCCF said the DFOs have been asked to take action against the field officials, if anywhere the safety and security of the forest and wildlife was compromised.
Recently, while reviewing the situation of STR here, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena had asked officials to strengthen intelligence networks and develop an SOP jointly by the police & forest personnel of Mayurbhanj district.
He had also directed to set up a Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising both forest and police personnel with one company of armed police force under the chairmanship of the field director for protection of STR.
Till the formation of JTF, one company of force (3 platoons) will be placed with the field director of STR/SP, Mayurbhanj for exclusive deployment in STR for protection duty.
Notably, a team of armed poachers had killed forester Mati Hansda in the sanctuary late June 16 night. Earlier, Bimal Kumar Jena, a 35 years old Protection Assistant was shot dead by a group of poachers at Similipal Tiger Reserve on May 22 night.
