OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Tiger Reserve Worker Strike over No Pay: Over 200 workers of a tiger reserve in Arunachal Pradesh resorted to strike on Wednesday in protest against non-payment of wages in the past six months. More than 200 contingency workers of Pakke Tiger Reserve in Pakke Kessang district went on indefinite strike from Wednesday for non-payment of wages since December last year.
The 862 sq. km tiger reserve has been left unguarded as all the 202 workers and eight elephants converged at the tiger reserve's administrative office to demand their wages for the last six months.
"Our strike was scheduled from May 2 but was withdrawn after state Environment and Forest Minister Mama Natung promised that the wages will be released. We can manage somehow, but all of us have families to maintain with the meagre wages we get," Pakke Tiger Reserve Workers' Union general secretary Nikum Nabam said.
Other than payment of the wages of the staff under Project Tiger, the union has demanded for regularisation of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), an increase of wage last revised in 2018 to Rs 11,000 per month and monthly payout instead of periodic disbursement.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) provides the wage package for the contingency staff of Pakke Tiger Reserve periodically through the state government.
The contingency workers were given their wages from April-November 2020 after the NTCA had sanctioned Rs 6.05 crore for the 2020-2021 financial year and released a part of it.
"The second instalment of Rs 1.32 crore was released in January but the money is lying in the state exchequer instead of being transferred to the Divisional Forest Officer of our tiger reserve for disbursement of wages," Nabam said, adding that the workers have been borrowing or surviving on meagre donations.
However, State Environment and Forest Minister Mama Natung said the workers should have waited two-three days for their wages.
"There were no officers to handle their wages due to the Covid-19-induced emergency situation. But the process has been started and they should get their wages in a few days," Natung said. "It is a pity that NTCA has focussed on tiger reserves in Assam, including Nameri Tiger Reserve adjoining Pakke. We know protecting the tiger habitats in Arunachal Pradesh is crucial for the conservation of the big cat in India, but it is difficult to focus on empty stomachs," an aggrieved member of the Pakke workers' union said.