The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Tributes paid to forest martyrs

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Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Tributes paid to forest martyrs

Staff Reporter

Minister lauds forest personnel’s role in protecting the natural resources

— PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Remembering their colleagues: Forest personnel paying floral tributes at the Martyr’s Memorial, Nehru Zoological Park on the occasion of Forest Marytrs Day in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: Rich tributes were paid to foresters, who lost their lives in the line of duty, in a solemn meeting on the occasion of Forest Martyrs Day. Wreaths were laid at the Martyr’s Memorial at Nehru Zoological Park by Forest Minister Satrucharla Vijaya Ramaraju and other forest officials in memory of the brave foresters on Saturday.

It was on November 10, 1991 that dreaded sandalwood smuggler Veerappan trapped and killed senior forest officer P. Srinivas, a Karnataka cadre IFS officer hailing from Rajahmundry, at Namadalli Forests at Chamrajnagar district, Karnataka. Since then, in the memory of the slain forester, November 10 has become Forest Martyrs Day.

Since 1980, the Forest Department has lost 26 of its foresters in the State.

“The families of the deceased officers are being taken care of and protected by the government. It is our responsibility to remember their sacrifices. Because of their efforts only, we have managed to catch 534 persons involved in the smuggling of red sanders,” the Minister informed.

“At several places reserve forests are getting encroached. Foresters are playing a vital role in protecting the natural resources of our State,” he said.

All the top officials from the Forest department were present in the commemoration of Forest Martyrs Day.

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