Forest Conservation – Attacks on Forest Department |

Forest Conservation – Attacks on Forest Department: A looming threat to the future of the environment.

“Condemning attacks on the Forest Department – Strong response of Orugallu Wildlife Society and Green NGOs to the attitude of Khanapur MLA Vedma Bojju and Sirpur MLA Dr. Palvai Harish Babu”

We are making this statement with the intention of protecting the environment and protecting the self-respect of the employees along with strongly condemning the attitude shown by Khanapur MLA Vedma Bojju towards the Forest Department officials. It is extremely unfortunate that forest personnel who are risking their lives day and night to protect forests and wildlife are being attacked on the highway. Even as a legislator of the current government, a member of the Wildlife Board and a person knowledgeable about the law, defying the orders of the High Court is an insult to democracy. Denying even the minimum facilities to the staff on duty and issuing warnings to “sleep in the jungle” should be considered a violation of human rights. Supporting illegal construction and sand smuggling in eco-sensitive zones is not only illegal but also an act that disrupts the balance of nature. It is unfair to put pressure on small employees working at the field level instead of solving the problems at the government level. It is against the constitution to obstruct forest department staff in rural areas and threaten them with fines. Provoking innocent tribals and portraying officials as enemies increases differences in the society. In this context, it is imperative to take legal action respecting the orders of the High Court, the government to immediately intervene and provide protection to the officials, establish a peaceful environment, and also take strict action against those who obstruct their duties.

The comments and attitude displayed by Sirpur constituency MLA Dr. Palvai Harish Babu are deeply worrying. Inciting people to “do as you please” with the words “You know what to do if anyone comes in their way”, and encouraging them, especially targeting forest officials, to “You know how to deal with the authorities if they come in their way” is completely illegal and against the democratic system. Moreover, by saying “Even the police will not come in your way”, it is clearly an attempt to make people fearless of the law. Making such provocative remarks in the presence of government officials, misleading the people, and behaving in a way that leads to unrest in the society for selfish political interests is highly condemnable. Such actions need to be controlled immediately as they risk destruction of forest wealth and attacks on officials.

In fact, the responsibility of protecting forests is everyone’s responsibility as per Article 51 A/(g) of the Constitution of India. However, the Forest Department does not only have a duty to protect forests and wildlife, but also takes a special responsibility to protect forests. But today it has become a curse for them. The reason for that is us and the rulers we have chosen. The reason we are saying this is that recently, in some reserve forests, namely Amrabad Tiger Reserve and Kawal Tiger Reserve in our Telangana, many such incidents have taken place. The forest department was attacked, and the people and the rulers there have been subjected to many hardships indiscriminately. Recently, it may be in Kothagudam Forest, Jannaram Forest, or Udumpur Forest, and the local MLAs and public associations are blaming the forest department and demanding that they refuse to cooperate, meaning that the forest department is not responsible for protecting the forest? In the past, an MLA’s brother brutally beat and threatened a lady forest officer who was obstructing the illegal activities while performing his duty, hacked to death a forest field officer on duty with hunting knives, and beat up a forest section officer with murderous intent, etc., reflect the lack of protection for forest officials. Forest officials are doing their duty properly but some people are verbally and indirectly inciting the people there to attack the forest officials and the forest department for their political gain. Illegal sand transportation, illegal timber transportation, illegal hunting and killing of animals are all crimes committed in the reserve forest. The people, public organizations, local leaders and rulers should all cooperate to stop these. Because without forests there is no life, what will we do for the generations ahead of us..? There is a great need to think now.

How reasonable is it to say that a small incident somewhere where the forest people attacked the local tribes, and to also embarrass the other forest staff and the forest department and to deny them assistance in those villages? Are we in the British era or are the forest department British..? Are we even fighting for freedom? It is unconstitutional and illegal for us to rebel against them and obstruct their duty. This has to be said, and the rulers there, especially the MLAs, with the support of the people, have been criticizing the Forest Department, openly threatening them in the media, and telling them to attack them if they enter the villages. This was done in a public meeting and in the presence of the Collector and SPs, and in the presence of the media.

Seeing all this, we have to ask ourselves what era we are in ?. It is time to think about what to think of incidents of threatening forest officials while they are in the ruling government and obstructing the duties of the officials on duty, and threatening forest officials in front of the district administration, district forest officers, district collectors and district police officers. This warning is a kind of violence. We have to ask ourselves what will happen to these forests if the forest department also decides to do this kind of non-cooperation. The reason for this is the lack of awareness of the people about the forest, the related rulers not making them feel good, and moreover, encouraging the forest department that went to stop them, not counting the women staff, indiscriminately throwing pepper spray on them, beating them with sticks and abusing them. We have seen many such incidents. Unfortunately, the MLAs there, who are members of the Wildlife Board, should have cooperated with the forest department and instead instigated and provoked people to attack them… Is this a democratic country? Or is it a country with a totalitarian regime? I don’t understand.
We give value to the importance to the “Khaki Uniform” of Police and Army but we don’t respect the same “Khaki Uniform” of our Forest Department.

In many incidents, the police department and the collectors also did not cooperate with them, moreover,they say, it is not our duty, and give free advice to solve it by themselves.
We organize many forest-related festivals on the occasion of a forest day, on the occasion of environment day, on the occasion of tiger day and many forest-related festivals. We talk a lot about planting trees, protecting forests, protecting animals, raising many slogans, bringing school children and making many promises to them, saying many things, but in reality, none of these things actually happen. Our promises and slogans are not fully implemented at the field level, except at the program there.
We should all be united and cooperate with the Forest Department so that such evil consequences do not repeat. Because this is the time when we should all understand and support the people’s property, forests and wildlife, the forest officers who constantly protect the natural resources in the forests, and the forest surveillance employees at the field level. We should respect the forest and its laws. Just as if we steal railway-related items, we will go to jail, so if someone steals forest wealth, we will have to go to jail.

There are many laws prohibiting attacks on RTC, police, railways, doctors, hospitals, but even though there is a law prohibiting attacks on the forest department, no one cares, moreover, cursing and attacking them as they please is unconstitutional. We request the esteemed Ministers of Forest and Environment to respond positively to these illegal trends and try to protect the forest and the forest department, especially in the reserve forest, by talking to the people and rulers there and resolving the issue from a legal perspective.
We urge higher officials in Forest Department also to intervene and solve the problems before it gets worsened.
Therefore, the responsibility of protecting the forests is not the responsibility of the forest department alone, but the primary responsibility of all our citizens to try to protect it.

Remembering the truth that “only if there is a forest, there is a society” and making it clear that it is the duty of every responsible citizen to fully support the forest department that protects the forests, wildlife and the environment… “Insulting the officials who protect the forest and the environment will not be tolerated!”