Discontent among frontline forest staff in Wayanad over move to regularise temporary workers

Discontent is brewing among frontline forest staff over the move to regularise a few temporary staff of the veterinary laboratory of the Forest department at the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS).

AITUC State general secretary P.K. Moorthy said in a statement that many of the frontline forest staff, especially temporary tribal forest watchers, were either killed or permanently disabled in wildlife attacks while chasing rogue elephants or tigers on the prowl in human habitats into the forest. While their dependants were waiting for the promised jobs, the department was trying to regularise four temporary officials of the veterinary laboratory.

The proposal was made on the direction of the Forest Minister, and such a move should not be allowed while hundreds of temporary watchers and rescue team members, who had been working for the department for the past 15 to 20 years, were yet to be regularised, Mr. Moorthy said.

Hussain, a temporary forest watcher of the same office, was killed in an elephant attack recently while trying to send away wild elephants using ‘kumki’ elephants, but the department had failed to give the promised job to the kin of the deceased so far, a tribal watcher said.

Since the temporary officials included in the proposed list were below 30 years of age, they would get ample opportunities for getting permanent jobs, he said. Moreover, back door appointments would destroy the morale of last grade servants, who were at the forefront during forest fires and other incidents, he added.