India News | Guj: SRP Jawans Deployed at Gir, as Forest Guards Go on Indefinite Strike
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Gujarat government has deployed two teams of the State Reserve Police (SRP) to guard the Gir forest in Junagadh and Amreli districts, home to Asiatic lions, as forest guards have gone on an indefinite strike over various demands, a senior official said here on Saturday.
Junagadh, Sep 10 (PTI) The Gujarat government has deployed two teams of the State Reserve Police (SRP) to guard the Gir forest in Junagadh and Amreli districts, home to Asiatic lions, as forest guards have gone on an indefinite strike over various demands, a senior official said here on Saturday.
The SRP teams will be deployed in the forest, revenue and sensitive areas and at other places as per discretion of the range forest officers, the official said.
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"The state forest department has allocated two teams of the SRP from Rajkot and Gondal. They will help the forest staff carry out patrolling in the forest areas of Junagadh and Amreli and in sensitive revenue areas near the forest," said Aradhana Sahu, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife Circle), Junagadh.
Gir forests and surrounding areas in Gujarat are the only abode of Asiatic lions.
The decision to deploy SRP jawans was taken after forest guards went on an indefinite strike from September 6.
"Van rakshaks" (class-3) and "van paal" have struck work seeking resolution for their outstanding demands.
"Forest employees work in interior areas of forests and are away from the family. We hope that the government pays attention to our demands and bring about a positive resolution. We went on an indefinite strike from September 6, and will return to work only after our demands for grade pay and leave pay are met by the government," a protesting forest guard said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)