DINDIGUL: Over 1,000 Anti-Poaching Watchers (APWs), who have been working in areas of animal-human conflict across the State by putting their life under risk, demand their jobs be regularised as they reel under lack of job security and benefits.
A total of 1,119 APWs, who are attached to the forest department for over ten years, have been receiving a consolidated salary of Rs 12,500, with no other benefits like PF, pension, and health insurance being provided. The demands raised to Chief Minister MK Stalin and Forest Minister G Ramachandran come as on Wednesday, a 49-year-old anti-poaching watcher -- S Sundar -- was trampled to death by an elephant during an operation to drive out an elephant at Kannivadi block range in Dindigul forest division. So, far over 10 APWs have lost their lives across the State while on duty.
APWs with consolidated salaries, and family members of the deceased have been continuously urging the State government to regularise their jobs and provide them security on par with the permanent employees.
Explaining the important role played by the APWs, Tamil Nadu Anti-poaching Watchers Association's Dindigul district treasurer T Sivaramakrishnan said, "Main duty of the APWs is to protect the forest resources. Usually, we engage in places where animal-human conflict occurs. In Dindigul, the villages of Kannivadi, Sithayankottai, Perur, and Arasamarathukottai often face issues of trespassing elephants. A team of APWs led by a guard drive out the elephant. We just use firecrackers to make the elephants go off the forest. We don't have any specific working hours, travel allowance, and safety equipment," he said.
"APWs who die while on duty get a `5 lakh compensation from the government, which is what anyone attacked by forest animals gets," he added. He expressed hope that the jobs of APWs are made permanent.
An APW, on condition of anonymity, said if they were appointed through manpower supply agencies, they would get benefits like PF and health insurance. "If a permanent staff member loses his life during the human-animal conflict, his legal heir should get a job on compassionate grounds, along with other benefits. We expect the present government to ensure social justice in the State. We believe that the government will look into our status," he added.
Responding to TNIE's query on the issue, Dindigul District Forest Officer S Prabhu said that the department will help them get the Rs 5 lakh compensation at the earliest. He added the government is yet to take a decision on regularising their jobs.
Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary to the government, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, said measures would be taken to improve the conditions of the APWs.