CHENNAI: Raghavan* (35), an anti-poaching watcher (APW), has been working for more than a decade in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Thoothukudi, where poaching of sea cucumber and illegal trade of seaweed are rampant. But this year, he’s earned no money from the job.
“I haven’t even been paid for a month this fiscal year. I’ve worked here for over 10 years, but am still a temporary staff with a consolidated salary of Rs 12,500 per month. What justification does the government have? How can I take care of my family? This is exploitation. I haven’t even been given a proper uniform,” he said.
Raghavan is just one among hundreds of APWs across Tamil Nadu who haven’t been paid in the year 2021-22. Let alone the staff languishing in districts, none of the 20 APWs attached to the Chennai Wildlife Wing have been paid, officials confirmed to TNIE.
“How can we survive without a salary? Even with it, we can’t afford three meals a day in Chennai,” rued Bhaskaran*, an APW in the city. The wildlife wing of the Tamil Nadu forest department pays APWs and others, such as anti-depredation squad members, under three Centrally-sponsored schemes — Project Tiger, Project Elephant, and Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) — wherein 60 per cent of sanctioned money is paid by the Centre and the rest by the State, following which a GO will be passed for fund utilisation.
‘Why form new elite force when even present staff are unpaid?’
As per official data accessed exclusively by TNIE, for 2021-22, the State did not release its share under Project Elephant and IDWH although the Union environment ministry released the money months back. The total sanctioned funds under IDWH for this fiscal year are Rs 8.79 crore.
The environment ministry released the first instalment of Rs 3.95 crore on December 29, 2021, and the State was expected to release Rs 2.63 crore, but it hasn’t. “The ministry’s share of Rs 3.95 crore will lapse by the end of this month if the State doesn’t release its share, pass a GO, and utilise the funds.
The temporary staff in most protected areas, excluding tiger reserves, are paid using IDWH money, which is now struck,” said K Sivaprakasam, State president of Forest Staff Association. He added that the State must make a separate budgetary allocation, at least for salaries, rather than depending on Centrally- sponsored schemes.
A senior forest official told TNIE, salaries are regularly being paid to APWs manning tiger reserves, but there have been delays for staff in other protected areas such as national parks and bird sanctuaries. “In places like Gudalur, which is a manelephant conflict zone, APWs’ salaries are paid using funds from the Mudumalai Tiger Foundation. For some, the State government paid salaries using funds allocated under non-plan expenditure.
Yes, I agree this is a serious problem.” A forest official attached to the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park said the government didn’t even release funds to buy fuel for patrol boats. There are nine boats and each would require at least 200 litres of diesel every month.
The foresters reportedly spend from their pockets for patrolling. Incidentally, the State recently announced formation of a Marine Elite Force to protect the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and Palk Bay. “But what’s the use of forming an elite force when even the current staff are not being paid?” asked the official.
‘Budgetary allocation needed’
The State must make a separate budgetary allocation, at least for salaries, rather than depending on Centrally-sponsored schemes, said K Sivaprakasam, State president of the Forest Staff Association
*Name changed
