Bhubaneswar: The non-gazetted employees of the Forest department Monday launched their symbolic protest against the killing of forest officials by poachers.
According to a source, the protest will continue from June 19 to July 8 next.
Odisha Non-gazetted Forest Service Sangha President Jagabandhu Patra said during the symbolic protest the 5,376 Forest Guards, 2,530 Foresters, and 282 Deputy Rangers will attend duty but will not do patrolling.
Patra threatened that they would launch a mass agitation in Lower PMG area from July 10 next if the government did not concede to their five point charters of demand by then.
The demands among other things included security to forest officials during patrolling.
The forest employees decided to go on strike after two forest employees were shot dead by poachers during the last couple of months while on patrolling duty.
UNI