October 29, 2018: Terminated casual staff of the State Forest Department today threatened to commit suicide en masse. Submitting deputation to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) today, terminated 35 casual employees vented their frustration and alleged, “We have knocked doors of high officials and concerned Minister – but all in vain. Pushed into dire situation, we have no other option but to commit suicide unless the authority consider our demand for reinstatement in the job.
It may be noted that, 35 casual employees were terminated after a departmental order in August last. Immediately after the ‘order’, sacked casual employees staged several demonstrations and even held hunger strike. However, every time agitators had to return empty handed.
With nothing more to hope for, terminated employees today met the PCCF and threatened suicide en masse. Suicide threat has surely scaled up the pressure on the Government and it remains to be seen how the Government tackle the emerging situation.