Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Sudam Marndi was subjected to public ire when he visited his district Mayurbhanj for the cremation of Forester Mati Hansda who was shot dead by poachers on Friday night.
As per reports, locals of Jashipur in Mayurbhanj including a forest guard confronted the Minister and alleged apathy by the State government as a result of which forest department employees are getting killed by poachers in Similipal.
The locals and the guard went on to accuse the South-Similipal ACF, Samaresh Biswal of mentally harassing the forester and other forest guards.
“Whatever has happened, is because of the incompetency of our senior officials. The government is saying that it supports the employees of the forest department, but this is not enough. Otherwise, our colleagues would not have been killed one by one," said, forest guard, Sashank Sekhar Ghana, who confronted the Minister.
Meanwhile, Marndi assured the people that the government has taken the issue seriously. “I have come to meet the aggrieved family. My sympathies are with them. I have spoken with the RCCF. The government is not taking this lightly,” he said.
Asked about the allegations against the ACF, Baripada RCCF, G Prakash Chand Gogineni said ACF Biswal is a sincere person. His work involves checking if the forest personnel are working as per their assigned duties. As far as the allegations of mental harassment are concerned, I will conduct an inquiry and take appropriate steps accordingly.”
It is pertinent to mention here that forester, Mati Hansda was shot dead by poachers at Karanjia in Mayurbhanj district. Sources said that the forest department team intercepted a group of poachers inside the range. On seeing the forest officials, the poachers opened fire. The forester Mati Hansda, who sustained a bullet injury on his chest, was immediately rushed to the hospital following the attack. However, he succumbed to the injury later.
Earlier two forest department officials were killed in the past two months. A 35-year-old forest guard was shot dead by a group of poachers in the month of May this year in the same Similipal forest. A poacher was also killed by forest department officials.
It is suspected that the recent killing of the forester could be an attempt by the poachers to avenge the killing of the poacher. However, further investigation into this connection is underway.
Meanwhile, the members of Odisha non-gazetted forest services association will go on a symbolic protest from tomorrow to July 8 protesting the killing of the foresters and demanding fulfillment of 5-point charter of demands. As part of their protest, though the Forest department officials will be on duty, they will refrain themselves from patroling.
The association has also threatened to launch a protest at Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar from July 10 if demands are not met.