Forestmen call off 11-day-old agitation

Forestmen call off 11-day-old agitation

                                                                                   

FOREST Guards and Foresters attached to Maharashtra Forest Guards - Foresters Union called off their 11-day-old indefinite strike on Thursday, following conceding some of the demands. Maharashtra State Forest Guards and Promoted Foresters Union, who was also pressing the same demands, will announce calling off the strike on Friday.

It may be mentioned here that Praveen Pardeshi. Principal Secretary. Forest and DrP N Mundc. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, had meeting with Ajay Patil, Vijay Mehar and other office-bearers of both the unions at Mantralaya. Mumbai, on September 2 and discussed the grievances.

Pardeshi agreed "in principle' the demand for calling Forest Guard as 'Niyat Kshetra Adhikari'. Forester as 'Parimandal Adhikari' and Forest Labour as 'Van Scvak' and assured that he would submit a proposal in this regard to the government shortly to gel sanction. He also assured on absorbing Foresi Labour as Forest Guard as per educational qualifications and providing uniforms. He then appealed to union leaders to put an end to their strike in view of best possible efforts made by him.

The major demand of the striking forestmen was increased play-scales - Rs 5.200-20.200 grade pay Rs 2.400 to Forest Guard and Rs 9.300-34.800 grade pay Rs 4.200 to Forester. The other demands included: Travelling allowance, appointment of Foresters at check-posts, facilities be given like policemen, benefits of assured scheme, repairs to quarters etc.

When contacted. Ajay Palil said that he would call off the strike on Friday as it would not be in good taste that some forestmen joined duties and others were still striking. He felt that the major demand about pay-scales would now be solved only after Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, forestmen staged demonstrations at RBI Square here on Thursday and raised slogans in support of their demands. On Wednesday, some of the forestmen had toasured their heads to register their protest.

Posted in: News 2014