Supreme Court Seeks Policy Overhaul for Forest Personnel Safety

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to apprise it about existing policy framework governing compensation to forest guards and frontline personnel who suffer death or fatal injuries while discharging their official duties.

The apex court passed the order while dealing with an application filed by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Employees Association flagging the issue of safety, welfare and service conditions of frontline forest personnel entrusted with enforcement and protection duties in ecologically sensitive regions.

The application highlights the hazardous conditions under which forest guards and other field personnel are required to discharge their duties, including risks arising from illegal mining operations, poaching activities and attacks by organized groups involved in forest offences,'' a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said in its order.

The application was filed in a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.

The top court noted it was contended that despite several incidents involving death and fatal injuries suffered by forest personnel while performing official duties, there existed no comprehensive and uniform policy in Madhya Pradesh governing compensation, compassionate appointment, insurance coverage and other welfare measures for families of such personnel.

It said the issues raised in the application discloses genuine concerns affecting frontline forest personnel engaged in protection and preservation of forests and wildlife in vulnerable regions affected by illegal mining activities and other environmental offences.

The bench said though the application was primarily in relation to Madhya Pradesh, it was of the opinion that the issues highlighted were not confined to one state alone but appear to be pervasive in nature and have direct bearing upon frontline forest personnel and enforcement staff functioning in the concerned states.

It issued notice on the application and sought responses from the states.

The bench directed the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh to file their replies, specifically ''indicating therein the existing policy framework, if any, governing compensation, ex-gratia assistance, compassionate appointment, insurance coverage, welfare measures and other service benefits extended to forest guards and other frontline forest personnel who suffer death or fatal injuries in the course of discharge of official duties''.

It said the replies should also give details of implementation of such policies and the measures proposed to be undertaken for strengthening the welfare and protection framework applicable to such personnel.

The bench posted the matter for further consideration on July 22.

The application pointed out instances where ex-gratia compensation publicly announced by the state authorities were allegedly not disbursed despite lapse of considerable time.

It sought formulation of a comprehensive policy framework for recognition, compensation and welfare measures in respect of forest personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty.

The National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400-sq km tri-state protected area. Besides the endangered gharial (long-snouted crocodile), it is home to the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river Dolphin.

Located on the Chambal river near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary was first declared a protected area in Madhya Pradesh in 1978 and now constitutes a long and narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.

(With inputs from agencies.)