Dec 16, 2017: IFAW-WTI recently provided ex-gratia support of Rs 100,000 each to the families of two frontline staff members killed on duty in Kanha and Pakke Tiger Reserves.

Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh: On December 1, WTI Senior Advisor Aniruddha Mookerjee handed over an ex-gratia cheque to the family of the late Tilak Singh Yadav, employed as a Temporary Forest Watcher in Kanha. Mr Yadav was on his way to the forest camp office on his motorcycle when he met with an accident at Khalodi village on August 28.

Mr Yadav was posted in the Supkhar Range and had served in the forest department for 30 years. He is survived by his wife Shyama Bai and four children (two sons and two daughters). The younger son is currently in Class 12 and is reportedly a good student; WTI is exploring options to support his higher studies.

Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh: Ex-gratia support of Rs 100,000 was also provided to the family of the late Rajen Nag, employed as Temporary Staff in Pakke Tiger Reserve.

Mr Nag had met with an accident at Bhalukpong while returning by bicycle to the Tippi Range Office on June 17. He is survived by his wife, a 10-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. He served in Pakke’s Dijji Camp for about eight years.

Shusila Nag, the late Rajen Nag’s widow, received the ex-gratia cheque in the presence of Divisional Forest Offer Tana Tapi, Range Officer (Tippi) Kime Rambia, and other forest officials of Pakke Tiger Reserve during a meeting at the Seijosa Range on December 5.

IFAW-WTI’s Supplementary Accident Assurance Scheme is the only NGO-run scheme in India that brings frontline forest staff under an ex-gratia umbrella, providing coverage of up to Rs 100,000 in case of death and a partial amount in case of permanent disability.

The forest departments of 23 states have joined this scheme thus far, with over 20,000 frontline forest personnel across the country having been covered against death or disability while on duty. Nearly 150 families have availed this ex-gratia benefit in the last 15 years. The Guardians of the Wild (Van Rakshak) Project, under which this scheme falls, has also trained and equipped over 16,000 forest personnel in more than 150 Protected Areas of India, as well as trans-boundary areas in Bhutan.