Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Jul 25: The forest department handles a daunting task of protecting and viewing the 2.87 lac hectare forest area under Mangaluru zone limits as it faces acute shortage of staff.

More than 50% of forest guard and viewer positions are lying vacant. Presently, 197 staff are manning the mammoth area. During last summer, the department had tough time controlling the wild fires.

The Mangaluru forest zone includes forest departments of Mangaluru, Kundapur, Kudremukh wild animal division and social forests of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. There is a need of 426 forest guards. However, now there are only 191 staff. The department needs 146 forest viewers. However, only six are on duty.

Representational image

Ground level beat work is very important in the forest department. One beat includes three villages, three beats make one section and three sections make one range. The beat guards are supported by forest viewers.

One forest guard is required for a single beat. However, at present, due to shortage of staff, only one has to cover four to five beats. Hence, there is heavy work pressure. Those who are forest viewers can become deputy RAO and ranger too. In addition, deputy zonal forest officers are also less. Out of the required 231 posts, 63 are lying vacant.

In Mangaluru zonal limits, 995 officers and staff positions are approved. Out of this, only 488 posts are filled. No new recruitment is done for the past three years. This has resulted in more cases of illegal poaching, tree cutting and fake wild fire by miscreants.