RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh honoured brave personnel who died in the line of duty protecting the state's forests and biodiversity over the past four decades.
Gathering at Rajiv Smriti Van in the capital Raipur to honour the unsung sentinels of the wilderness, state dignitaries, senior forest officials, and families of fallen personnel remembered the 36 brave personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard the state's forests, wildlife and its diverse habitats.
Presiding as the chief guest, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Manoj Pingua emphasised that Chhattisgarh’s rich ecological cover—spanning 44 percent of the state's geographical area—thrives on the vigilance of grassroots frontline staff.
Since 1985, when Forest Guard Late Budhram Bhagat laid down his life in Jashpur district, through to the supreme sacrifice of Forester Late Narayan Singh Yadav in Kanker in 2025, 36 forest department personnel have fallen in the line of duty.
Frontline field staff continue to navigate three distinct operational hazards across difficult terrains: organised timber and wildlife poaching syndicates, Maoist conflict zones across southern forest belts and escalating human-wildlife encounters in migratory corridors.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF) Arun Kumar Pandey remarked that the occasion represents an active resolution rather than mere mourning. He stressed that beyond institutional financial compensations, sustaining emotional bonds with bereaved families remains the department's foremost responsibility, urging field officers to ensure no martyr’s kin ever feels abandoned.
The emotional core of the ceremony was the presence of next of kin who have transitioned from grief to service.
Reaffirming the state's dedication to field personnel, the ACS highlighted key welfare steps underway, such as fast-tracking compassionate appointments for dependents of fallen personnel, sanctioning revised departmental structures and adding field posts to reinforce frontline beat patrolling.
A memorial souvenir documenting the biographical profiles, service records, and departmental welfare entitlements for all 36 martyrs was released during the occasion.
The observance concluded with a collective oath among forest personnel and attendees to protect the state's natural heritage, underscoring that public participation in conservation remains the enduring memorial to those who fell defending it.
