Mysuru: Forest Minister Ramanath Rai paid a visit to the Apollo hospital on Tuesday, where three forest personnel including a Range Forest officer are undergoing treatment after getting injured while dousing the fire that broke out at Kalkere Range of Bandipur National Park on Saturday. Rai announced that the family members of deceased Murigeppa Tammangol who died while dousing forest fire will be given Rs 25 Lakh through Tiger Foundation Fund and 14 trained forest personnel who are expert in dousing forest fire have been deputed to Bandipur National Park.
He also assured the family members that the department would bear all medical expenses and try to do best for them. The family members of forest watchers Manu and Manju, who were newly appointed just a month ago and are yet to receive their first month salary, requested the forest minister for requested regularisatin of the jobs for the duo. The injured three who are undergoing treatment are Gangadar Nayak, Range Forest Officer and forest watchers Manu and Manju.
Speaking to media persons after this visit Rai said, “The government will bear all the medical expenses of the injured. Apart from providing Rs 25 Lakh to the deceased family members we are also thinking of providing job opportunities to any one from the bereaved family. Though we are not able to find out the real reason behind the fire, the forest officials suspect a sabotage by miscreants. If at all it is proved, we will take necessary action against those miscreants. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already ordered Additional Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar to conduct a probe into the Bandipur forest fire and to gather complete information about the incident.
He also mentioned that though the forest department had been constantly installing the fire line across the Bandipur and Nagarhole region, the fire spread in haste. Lantana shrub affects forests by causing massive forest fires and scientifically it is very difficult to stop the spread of Lantana in the region as it also helps the tiger in many ways. “Since we came to power we have recruited many staff members to the department. Already some of them are under training and in due course they will also be posted wherever there is a dearth for staff. As for the scientific approach in dousing forest fire on the lines of European countries where it goes on for many weeks or over a month, such practices cannot not be adopted in India as the population here is more and there isn’t proper space even to move fire engine in the forest. But still I will speak to forest officials and try to do my best to provide best possible facilities”, added Ramanath Rai.
District In-charge Minister Mahadevappa, forest officials including V Karikalan accompanied Ramanath Rai.
