Kotdwar, Uttarakhand: In a meeting of the Daily Contract Workers’ Union of the Forest Department, strong opposition was raised against the removal of daily laborers from the Forest Department and their placement in private outsourcing agencies. This comes after 80 daily laborers who were removed from Lansdowne Forest Division, Kotdwar, demanded their reinstatement, the proper placement of daily laborers in outsourcing agencies, and payment of salaries for the past five months.
During the meeting, the State President of the union, Chandraprakash, explained that the government had issued orders on July 18 to transfer all divisions of the Forest Department to private outsourcing agencies. He stated that contract workers in the Forest Department work 24 hours a day and put their lives at risk while patrolling to protect wildlife and safeguard forest resources from fires. The contract workers strongly urged the government to place them appropriately within the department.
A warning was issued that if prompt action was not taken by the government and the department, daily outsourcing workers would resort to statewide protests. The meeting was attended by State Minister Pradeep Bhadula, Unit Minister Rajiv Sharma, Ram Singh Khaiti, Ramesh Joshi (Kumaon Mandal Vice President), Pradeep Juyal, Tajbar Singh, Monika Chauhan, Naresh Bahukhandi, Vikas Negi, Deepak Chaudhary, Tripti Chamoli, Rishipal, Amar Chandra, and others.