Forest personnel dying in duty to get higher solatium of Rs 50 lakh: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Sep 11: The Karnataka government will hike the solatium from the existing Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, aimed at ensuring stability and social security to the families of forest officials who died in the line of duty, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday.
Speaking after paying respects to the persons who laid down their lives in duty, as part of National Forest Martyrs Day-2022 organised by the Forest Department here, he said the state's forest cover must be increased from the current 21 per cent to 30 per cent.
Pointing out that his predecessor, B S Yediyurappa had hiked the solatium paid to the fallen officials' families from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, Bommai said the incumbent government will further hike it from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
Besides, the government will ensure appointment of the family members to jobs on compassionate grounds and will take care of their welfare with utmost sympathy. "You protect the forest, the government will protect you," he said.
Noting that the government has plans to increase the forest cover from 21 percent to 30 per cent, the Chief Minister pointed out that Karnataka has over four lakh hectares of barren land and afforestation can be done to increase the forest area.
Karnataka was the first state in the country to present the environment budget and Rs 100 crore has been allocated, he said.
This year, an afforestation program will be taken up at a cost of Rs 100 crore. A special plan has been chalked out by the forest department to conserve the ecologically sensitive areas.
The department has taken special interest to protect natural resources and minimise loss to the environment. By implementing the action plan this year, a new model will be prepared and this would help increase the forest cover, he added.
Further, calling on the forest department to strive towards reducing man-animal conflict, Bommai said the elephant menace in the state is very high and the government has provided Rs 100 crore to evolve a new system in protecting people from them.
Due to climate change, rivers are getting flooded, the rainfall pattern has changed resulting in continuous and heavy rains in some places, the Chief Minister said, adding that there is an emergent need to set right the imbalance in nature.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had declared September 11 as National Forest Martyrs Day in recognition of the valour and sacrifices made by forest personnel to protect our environment.
The date September 11 was chosen due to its historical significance. On this day in 1730, over 360 people of the Bishnoi tribe led by Amrita Devi, objected to the felling of trees and were killed due to their protest to save the trees in Khejarli, Rajasthan on the orders of the king.
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Activists write open letter to Odisha govt flagging anti-Christian violence
New Delhi: Activists and rights campaigners John Dayal, Aakar Patel, Vidya Dinker and Harsh Mander have expressed serious concern over the alleged rise in violence and intimidation against Christians in several districts, accusing both Hindutva organisations and sections of the police of targeting the minority community.
In a strongly worded communication addressed to the state administration, the signatories said they had received disturbing testimonies from affected people regarding social boycott, denial of burial rights, physical assaults and police intimidation.
According to the activists, Christians in some areas were allegedly boycotted by villagers, while people who traded with them, employed them or provided them shelter were also targeted.
The letter also highlighted what it described as “gruesome” incidents involving the prevention of burials of Christians within village burial grounds and even on privately owned lands belonging to Christian families. The activists said there were cases where bodies remained unburied for days due to opposition from local groups, while in some instances burials were allegedly forced to take place in forest areas outside village limits. Funeral prayers were also reportedly disrupted.
The signatories further alleged that in certain districts the violence escalated into physical assaults on Christians. They claimed that some victims were tied to trees and beaten, while others were allegedly placed inside sacks and assaulted. The letter also mentioned a few reported instances of sexual violence and attempts to burn people alive, which, according to them, were stopped at the last moment.
Expressing particular concern, the activists said many victims had testified that police personnel joined hands with Hindutva organisations to force Christians into signing “compromise” agreements. These agreements allegedly required them to give up their faith and stop collective worship.
The letter also accused the police of registering serious criminal cases against victims of attacks instead of taking action against the attackers. According to the signatories, many of those attacked were detained in police stations and jails, while in some cases the police themselves allegedly played a direct role in intimidation and violence against Christians.
Stating that there appeared to be a “complete breakdown in the constitutional machinery of the state” in relation to Christian minorities, the activists urged the administration to uphold and protect the constitutional and religious rights of all citizens without discrimination based on religion, caste or creed.
The letter was signed by John Dayal, Aakar Patel, Vidya Dinker and Harsh Mander.
