Attacks on foresters: Telangana announces massive ex-gratia structure

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Government has massively increased the ex-gratia for forest officials and personnel who are killed in attacks by extremists and anti-social elements. The category-wise ex-gratia structure, as announced by the Telangana Environment, Forest, Science and Technology (EFS&T) Department through a GO on April 3, 2023, is considered to be higher than the compensation given in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The State Government’s move to provide succour to the families of forest personnel during eventualities assumes significance in the wake of the gruesome killing of Khammam Forest Range Officer Chalamala Srinivasa Rao by Guthikoya tribals over podu lands issue. The incident happened at Bendalapadu in the agency area of Bhadradri Kothagudem district on November 22, 2022.

Incidentally, this is the first major policy decision taken by the Telangana Government with regard to the compensation to be given to the families of forest personnel, killed in such attacks. Hailing the GO as a landmark decision, several unions and associations of forest employees and officials thanked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), Forest Minister Indrakaran Reddy and Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari.

The EFS&T Department, in its GO Ms. No. 43, said that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests had requested for ex-gratia and other benefits to the forest personnel on par with police officials in view of the risks involved and the threat to their lives while protecting the forest areas. “After careful consideration, the Government has decided to sanction the ex-gratia in respect of Forest personnel and their families who were killed by extremists/anti-social elements while protecting the forest,” the order said.

Accordingly, the State Government has announced varied amounts of ex-gratia based on the categories of forest department hierarchy. Henceforth, the ex-gratia to the families of Forest Beat Officers and equivalent ranks in the event of death in extremist/anti-social attacks will be Rs 30 lakhs. Rs 20 lakh will be granted in case of permanent incapacitation while Rs 3 lakhs will be given for grievous injuries in such attacks.

Similarly, Rs 45 lakh will be granted to the families of Forest Section Officers, Deputy Range Officers and equivalent ranks, if killed in these attacks. Permanent incapacitation will attract an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh while Rs 5 lakh will be paid for grievous injuries. For Forest Range Officers and equivalent ranks, the ex-gratia to the families will be Rs 50 lakhs in the event of death while Rs 30 lakh will be granted for permanent incapacitation in extremist/anti-social attacks. If grievously hurt, an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh will be paid.

The same for Assistant Conservators of Forests, Deputy Conservators of Forests and equivalent ranks is Rs 75 lakh if killed in the attacks, Rs 40 lakh for permanent incapacitation and Rs 5 lakh for grievous injuries. For all IFS officers, an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore will be granted to their bereaved families in the event of their killing at the hands of extremists/anti-social elements. The compensation for permanent incapacitation will be Rs 50 lakh while Rs 6 lakh will be paid if they are grievously injured.

The State Government announcing a policy decision on the ex-gratia comes amid frequent incidents of attacks on the forest personnel, mainly from tribal podu land cultivators hampering the forest department efforts for afforestation.

The attack on Khammam Forest Range Officer Chalamala Srinivasa Rao in Bhadradi Kothagudem district happened precisely for this reason last year. A group of Guthikoya tribals hacked him to death with sickles when he resisted their moves to graze their cattle in an afforestation area.

According to the police, a group of podu land cultivators released their cattle to graze in an area where the forest department planted saplings. The move was to get rid of the saplings so that they can continue with their podu-style of cultivation.

When Forest Range Officer Chalamala Srinivasa Rao and Forest Section Officer T Rama Rao resisted their moves, the Guthikoya tribals were enraged and assaulted them with sickles.

Two Guthikoyas, identified as Nanda and Tula, were later arrested for the forest officer’s gruesome killing.

In a stern reaction a few months later, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao too issued a warning that anyone causing harm to forest department personnel for any reason would be strictly dealt with. While sympathising with the tribals for the persisting disputes in podu land cultivation, he advised them to refrain from launching any attacks on the foresters who merely do their duties in protecting the forest lands.