Noida, Uttar Pradesh, July 07, 2020:

WTI has granted a sum of four lakhs to bereaved surviving families of four brave frontline forest staff who have fallen in the line of duty even while the country has been under stringent lockdown.

We have stood by these brave men and women who guard our natural heritage – wildlife and their habitats since over two decades (2001) by instituting a supplementary accident assurance scheme for providing immediate assistance in the event of death or life changing injury. We ensure the assistance is timely and reaches the affected families when they need finances the most.

This financial year, so far we have reached out to these four bereft families through the state forest department.

On 4^th May, 2020, Deepu Singh Rana who was on duty at Ghatigaon South Range of Gwalior Forest Division, Madhya Pradesh was killed by a timber mafia smuggler while investigating illegal logging of bamboo in Sankua beat. Rana and his team tried to chase the offenders but the poachers shot him on the chest with a single barrel gun. He was immediately taken to a hospital in Gwalior where doctors declared him dead.  Rana is survived by his wife, a two-year-old daughter and an infant son. WTI – IFAW provided an ex-gratia support of INR 1,00,000 handed over by Mr. Abhinav Pallav, Divisional Forest officer, Gwalior Forest Division on 28^th May 2020.

Babul Choudhury, Game Watcher met with road accident in December 2019 near Mikirpara of Deepor Beel Wildlife Range, Guwahati Wildlife Division, Assam. He was shifted immediately to the nearest hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. IFAW-WTI provided ex-gratia support of INR 100,000 to his wife.

Ganesha G.  met his death in a fatal road accident at Kallabetta in January 2020. He was working as a Forest Guard in Hunsur Wildlife Range of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka for the last seven years. His employment in Karnataka Forest Department was the only source of income for his family of three (wife and two sons who survive him). An ex-gratia support of Rs 100,000 was transferred directly to his wife’s account.

Amrutheshwara Swamy also died in a road accident at Metikkupe Village in January. He was working as a Vehicle Driver (daily wage worker) for the last 35 years in Metikkupe Wildlife Range of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka. The sole earner in his family, his sudden demise left his surviving family bereft of financial support An ex-gratia support of INR 100,000 by WTI – IFAW to his family was transferred directly to the nominee (his wife’s account).

India’s frontline forest staff face daily hazards in their line of duty. Although the amount under WTI’s ex-gratia scheme is not enough, it serves to buffer critical expenses until their insurance comes through. For families who lose their sole earning member, this serves some relief in covering immediate needs.

The Covid pandemic has had economic repercussions on building funds for our supplementary assurance scheme and we need your continued support to help our frontline forest staff.

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