Guntur: Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy assures help to kin of forest martyrs

Guntur: Minister for Forests Balineni Srinivasa Reddy assured that the government will support the forest martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect forest. A meeting to mark AP State Forest Martyrs Day was held at Aranya Bhavan in Guntur city on Tuesday.

Addressing the meeting through the videoconference, he warned that if anybody tries to exploit forest wealth, the government will take stern action against them. He said, "so far 22 forest personnel died while discharging duties and assured that all kinds of support to their kin".

Special chief secretary Aditya Nath Das stressed on the need to protect wild animals and forest wealth. Chief conservator of forests N Pradeep Kumar said that they have set up separate cell to solve problems of forest martyrs' families and assured that he will take steps to solve their problems. He said they have sent proposals to the government to extend benefits provided to police personnel to the personnel working in the forest department.

IFS officers J K Singh, Sanjay Gupta, Nayak, Amit Singh, RK Suman, Gopinath were among those participated.