After helping clear workers’ dues, Jharkhand forest ranger gets notice for going to court -Abhishek Angad

-The Indian Express

The matter dates back to December last year, when several labourers held a protest outside the Pakur Division Forest Office demanding due wages

Ranchi: TWO MONTHS after a Jharkhand forest range officer filed a public interest litigation, seeking the High Court’s intervention in getting dues worth Rs 10 lakh released for labourers, the state government has issued a showcause notice to him asking why he should not be given compulsory retirement for going against the government. The officer has been given one month to respond.

The matter dates back to December last year, when several labourers held a protest outside the Pakur Division Forest Office demanding due wages. Around 250 labourers, who were employed for upkeep of a forest in the Pakur Forest Division, had not been paid wages for over nine months despite bringing the matter to the attention of the authorities several times. Their hopes hinged on the PIL filed by Pakur Forest Ranger Anil Kumar Singh, who sought the High Court’s intervention into the matter.

According to Singh’s plea, the payments were stuck as the Divisional Forest Officer’s post had remained vacant in the Pakur Forest Division. The petition said Singh was “compelled to give advances” to the labourers, which was creating “great hardships” for both him and the labourers. After The Indian Express reported the matter, a Divisional Forest Officer was transferred to Pakur after which the payments were made.

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