New Delhi: A unique insurance scheme initiated by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), under its Van Rakshak Programme (VRP), to provide insurance cover to forest guards and casual workers of all protected areas in the country that was formally launched in 2001 has covered 21 states today. Four years after the scheme was launched and the first cheque of Rs 1 lakh handed to the widow of a forest guard in Corbett Tiger Reserve,the 25 th cheque is slated to be shortly released. More…

Quite significantly, the project was able to bring in some hope in the lives of forest field staff, who face precarious circumstances on the job in various anti-poaching activities. An important factor behind the success of this program is the ability to compensate the bereaved families of staff within the shortest time, thus providing the victim’s family with financial support most looked-for in those circumstances.

According to Dr. Rakesh Kumar Singh, who manages the VRP programme at WTI, “A forest guard in Protected Areas usually earns between Rs. 4500 to Rs. 6000, while a casual worker earns between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 3000 a month, which is not adequate for the family to prepare for such exigencies. In these circumstances, when a forest staff risks his life in anti-poaching operations, it becomes our moral responsibility to extend help for him and his immediate family.”

Though there are provisions giving protection to forest field staff in the form of gratuity, provident fund or limited insurance from the government, these are only limited to permanent staff of the forest department and the repayments often take longer to redress the beneficiary. The casual workers on the other hand receive no such benefits. These groups of people, who protect our wildlife in difficult situations and in remote corners of the country, often throw away their life fighting poachers and forest land encroachers.

According to Singh, “ Forest resource management with the idea of conservation was only introduced to India in the 80s. Proper training and supply of equipments for the forest staff is an urgent need. The present training modules for forest staff are not adequate, particularly when they are asked to fight organized and well- equipped wildlife poaching syndicates.”

“So far we have insured a total of 25,000 individuals, comprising forest guards and casual workers in various Protected Areas in the country. We have covered almost all the states, except Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh, where we are still to formulate a plan,” added Singh.

Between 2001 and now, a total of about 60 insurance claims have been forwarded by WTI to the insurance company and a total of about 25 final settlements were made till date, in addition to several others this year, which are under various stages of clearance. Of the four pending cases from Palamau Tiger Reserve and one from Kaziranga in Assam, four cases are in the final stage of clearance.”

The policy-holder can claim the insured amount in case of permanent partial or permanent and total disability. In the case of death the nominee can claim a sum of Rs 1 lakh through the concerned manager of the Protected Area.

Further the policy stipulates that the claim should be lodged within 15 days from the date of accident and this condition can only be waved under special circumstances. A death certificate supported by a post mortem report / FIR giving cause of death is required as supporting document for the claim. All forest department employees of the rank of range forest officer and below on field patrol duties are eligible.

According to Singh, “The insurance scheme has greatly contributed to motivating the staff. More and more staff also feel that WTI is one organization that has come forward to help their families in difficult times.”

Proper training and equipment for the forest staff, along with effective intelligence gathering is vital to counter future wildlife crime in the country. Similarly, adequate protection to forest staff and their families motivates them to carry out their duties honestly and effectively.

The Van Rakshak (Guardians of the Wild) programme of WTI was designed to address some of these issues, particularly for those, who look after the wild and its habitat. It seeks to provide these guardians the kind of support they need on the field, be it infrastructural support, job enrichment inputs, essential anti-poaching apparatus or effective communication tools. Financial security, in the form of an insurance scheme for the forest staff and their families is an effective incentive to add moral courage and confidence to perform their duties efficiently and diligently.

Pix: Forest dept, Uttranchal / Jharkhand